Reviews
Columbus Monthly
That little hole-in-the-wall ethnic eatery, where excellent food your
mama never heard of is dished out for cheap, exists (it must be said)
largely in the mind. Most of the places that appear to fit the bill turn
out to serve mediocre food, and while the cuisines of far away and
unfamiliar places are done very well in Columbus, it is often in
well-appointed settings and not for cheap. Because one of the joys of
being a restaurant critic is to put you onto the great little hole in
the wall, and as I am in an unselfish mood:Go at once to Dosa Corner for
"dosa".
What the restaurant calls "dosa" are thin, plate-size pancakes made of
lentil and rice flours, dark and crackling on the outside, soft and
white on the inside. They're naturally sweet but not sweetened, lightly
sour from the overnight fermentation of the batter (like sourdough
bread, only better), and while the things are wonderful palin or dipped
in the fragrant coconut milk-based chutney or one of the many ohter
condiments served here, they are even more wonderful filled with all
manner of vegetables, cheese, or mixtures thereof.
They
come to us from the remarkably varied and boldly flavored cuisine of
Southern India; Dosa Corner is a vegetarian restaurant serving the food
of that region.
(It should be noted that this is not our first such
restaurant-this column just loves Udipi Cafe on East Dublin-Granville
Road as well.)
Before you get to the dosa, which you must have here, there are several
good appetizers to try. Any standard samosa (a curried,
potato-and-pea-filled pastry crust, deep-fried) is worth eating. A-loo
bonda is better-a similar mixture with the addition of cashews, in a
more flavorful chickpea batter.
|
