Udipi Cafe
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Came to Upidi Cafe for the all-you-can-eat buffet because I crave for vegetarian food, especially Indian food. I have been here early this year but I didn't have a chance to thoroughly investigate what I was eating. I think it serves in the style of Thali as round plate divided with sides in smaller bowls. Since it's a buffet, I can take little bit at a time until I'm familiar with the taste. I also got more knowledge from eating Indian food frequently since I started foodie exploration early 2023. The buffet line is organized by hot and cold, not separated by entrees, starches, sweets and salads. So I started to indulge with standard thali entrees and breads. Starches are Poori (puffy bread), Vada (donut looking thing), Idly (rice cake) and Set Dosa (pancake looking bread). My favorite is to break poori open and use it to scoop curry or chutney. I actually like every bread they serve for different tastes. My favorite desserts are Semiya Payasam (vermicelli kheer in sweet milk) and coconut rice. My favorite rice is biriyani, of course, more flavors than plain rice. My favorite entree is Mutter Paneer (cheese is creamier than other restaurants) and Jackfruit Curry. When it says spicy and red, it is very spicy. I usually bring some yogurt based sauce (not sure exact name) to cool my palate if I accidentally consumed spicy food. Overall, $14.99 makes my wallet happy and tummy happy. Buffet lunch is only served on weekdays from 11 am to 2:30 pm. Remember, it's closed on Mondays.
Service was great, although the wait time was on the higher side for a not-so-full sunday dinner hour. Had the alu bonda, and the mysore masala dosa. The combo thali also came with a small dosa and one idli, vada, and a portion of kesari bath and upma each. Flavors were on the subtler side which I personally liked, but maybe worth considering for some people. Found out from the owner, Mr Satheesh that he also started the Udupi Cafe in Monroeville, Pittsburgh (it was the first one) along with a few others who are still there. I loved the appetizing tomato rasam that was served before the meal! First experience of Indian food in Houston was decent, but I will perhaps always be more conservative with my praise for Indian food!
Had stopped by here recently to grab some vegetarian snacks. After being seated, I noticed some photos of Anthony Bourdain with the owner, so I had to ask about the details. He told me that Anthony Bourdain would his restaurant every time he was in Houston. The owner was very friendly and he did stop by every table to say hi and engage in a casual conversation. I ordered Bhel puri, a dahi puri, samosas and masala dosa. The items were good and filling. I was satisfied with the taste. Samosas were in point and served with two different types of chutneys. They have an extensive list of items on the menu, especially dosas. A nice variety of them. The service was up to standards. This is actually a sit down restaurant with table service. I plan to be back b
We visited the restaurant for lunch buffet over the weekend. The Vegetarian restaurant is located close to a busy intersection and easy to find. Pros: - we were seated promptly by the waitress who was courteous - The owner invited us and was gracious **, much appreciated - Having visited India and being a frequent foodie of Asian restaurants- we noticed a fantastic South Indian spread of more than 20 dishes in the buffet; - we tried just about every dish from Idlis, Vadas, curd rice, 6 types of curries, sambar, rasam, 3 types of sweet dishes, 3 chutneys, 2 types of rice. - They also offer 3 different types of Dosas as part of the buffet - which was delicious and well made. - the waitress was consistently prompt and courteous Now the cons: - parking is tough to find and the few spaces in front are filled up, with little to spare elsewhere - the idlis and Vadas were missing the authentic taste - it was either the lack of fenugreek or consistency in the batter. - it just didn't taste right; - Having tasted authentic South Indian food this place just lacked the taste, texture and flavor with multiple dishes. - There are wayyy too many pictures of the owner with some Indian folks all over the walls; I googled some of the folks and learned they were Indian actors and musicians; it was an overdose of personal glory; The food was not up-to the authentic South Indian taste;. Could be that we may have visited on the wrong day or the cook was on holiday. Wish the owner and staff the very best. -
With so many great Indian options in Hilcroft, I was not impressed with Udipi Cafe. I would likely go to Honest or Shiv Sagar if I am craving chaat-style food. I ordered a masala dosa and the potato filling inside was very plain. It was completely mild and lacked seasoning. The coconut chutney was also plain and watery, not the usual creamy taste you would expect from coconut chutney. I also tried the samosa chaat, which comes in a unique style compared to other Hilcroft restaurants. There is no yogurt and the samosa is cut up into the chaat mix. This dish had more flavor than the masala dosa, but I felt that it was missing the extra tangy taste of yogurt.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Houston. Strictly vegetarian, flavorful, wonderful place with excellent service and, a thorough gentlemanly owner. Loved the rawa masala special dosa and the Brahman thali. Even the non- South Indian items were good. Mango lassi was sublime.... This is our new to-go place. I hope they update the decor soon.
I got the Miny Thali for lunch & chose the paneer tikka masala & avial (veggies made with coconut milk). It came with the options of poori or roti - I chose roti, but they gave poori. I ate the rice with the curries, but I didn't try the daal or sambar. The paneer tikka masala was good, and the avial was not bad. The beans were just boiled, but they were okay mixed the paneer masala. The payasam was good, too. Overall, it was okay.
The owner was super kind and helpful. Before the pandemic I would enjoy their buffet. Now that there is no longer a buffet I didn't know what to order. He made a great recommendation and I enjoyed every bite. I still don't know the names of the things I ate on the mini platter, but it was all tasty.
I need to quit smoking, doctor's orders. I need to quit drinking, court orders. This is a strict veg only resto so I had to quit meating for the afternoon as well, Udipi orders. I had to schlep all across town to get here, so my expectations were a bit high considering the start-up "expenses" of time and the frustration of sitting in gas-brake-honk Houston traffic for over an hour to get to and through one of the busiest intersections in the city of 59 @ Hillcroft. Notwithstanding that the end of the year is quickly approaching and I am dangerously short of my 100 yelp reviews for the calendar year. So I needed to pick up a fork and put some work in. The weekday buffet is priced to move at $8.99 which explains why this is a pretty popular joint for people that have time in their weekday lunch schedule to come down here. I don't live or work near here. The weekend buffet comes with a penalty tax of "you don't live or work in this neighborhood" bringing it up to $10.99. There was a table with a really cute teen/young adult with a UH-Downtown t-shirt on, so at least someone in the resto drove further than I did today just for lunch. If you didn't know, a buffet under $10 basically means that if you eat anything you got your money's worth because fair is fair. A buffet that nips past $10 in the wallet issues a challenge that you now not only need to get your money's worth but you will be tracking it closely with the ol' stomach ledger. So now you know why it is on like Donkey Kong. The lunch buffet begins at 11am and extends to 3pm. When we walked in at 1pm there were no available tables and thus a wait for a table. We nearly left for one of the other restos on the Hillcroft Strip. But I had already been propositioned by a prostitute out in the parking lot, so I mostly just didn't want to experience that again so soon from a ho that ain't ever heard 'no' before. I don't need to pay for it, hon, until I lose slightly less than half of all my stuff in a divorce then I paid for it just then I suppose. There are booth-ish seating areas flanking the east and west walls and the main dining area is composed of long tables, even though they are pushed together, you still get people at "other tables" smushed in so close they kind of get all up in your business (jalapeno business) which one lady on our row from an unaffiliated table was staring a hole in me as I was telling a hilarious story and otherwise just being beautiful. The buffet station flanks the south wall. You can pick a flat ceramic plate (don't!) or get one of the tin metal partitioned plates (yes). Edgar V.'s review was most helpful in this respect. I am glad I invested the time to read through all of the reviews otherwise I would have not seen his and would have made the ceramic plate mistake. Crisis averted. The server guy takes care of refilling water pretty regularly. So I have to say that this is pretty good service for a casual "buffet" sort of place. The only real strike against Udipi is that the "spicy" dosa I requested was not spicy at all. Not even that white lady that thinks toothpaste is spicy would think this dosa was spicy. Bring muh heat, or go home. To that end, the spicy onions were my favorite aspect of the actual buffet line. They weren't hot at all - and they were less hot than how Cuisine India down by JSC does it - but they still were the single source of any amount of heat in my mouth, so it paired with everything to give me what I want as a nice profile finishing on all of the other veg items. The buffet options are relatively numerous considering it is veg only. Every item available was fully stocked and the guy kept refilling stuff so nothing was ever "out" which is the bane of my existence down at the buffet lines. I can't ding Udipi too badly on the ho out in the parking lot. She was hurtin' for a squirtin' because of numerous socioeconomic factors and lack of access to education, infrastructure, and real opportunity where she probably grew up. I don't think Udipi contributed to that at all. But still, my mother would not have felt very safe or secure coming to this business with that kind of thing happening in the parking lot right in front of this biz. The lack of spiciness in the dosa and the ho out front obviate a fifth star but other than that: wear sweatpants, bring an appetite, don't expect much heat, and you are in business with a pleasant veg only lunch, baby.
Went for a breakfast before heading back home which was a long drive. I'm glad i stopped by and enjoyed their breakfast buffet and ala carte mysore bonda. Service was excellent, food was very hot and so many south indian varieties i tried. Buffet was very neatly managed and clean, so many good options on alacarte menu also. The best part was fresh made sugarcane and watermelon juice... Will come back again if i am visiting houston.. read more
Nut allergy warning: When I expressed a nut allergy, it was indicated that they could handle it with no issues with the Thali. I did have some concerns with a few dishes but it was hard to tell if it was a lot of spice or sesame, which can also trigger a light reaction. I'd be a bit careful but overall, I had a good meal. Time-to-Food: ~12 minutes We came for early dinner around 4:30PM and it was not that busy, though it got busier later in the evening. The restaurant layout is a mix of booths and open tables, pretty suitable for large parties. I will preface by saying that I am not at all familiar with Indian cuisine. I rarely eat it because I grew up thinking that Indian food had a lot of nuts. Only partially true (kind of a gamble on things). I ordered the Royal South Indian Thali and a Masala Chai. First, everyone was served a spicy soup-like dish that was a great start to the meal. The Royal South Indian Thali was massive. I got some slightly different sides than my friend that ordered the same, perhaps because of the nut allergy. The curries/sambar were great with the rice and roti and the vegetables were delicious. I thought that the Halwa was my favorite dessert. The yogurt rice was more of an acquired taste (I was advised to mix it with the pickled spices, which I am not usually a fan of), as was the salted lassi. Others enjoyed them more than I did, but I was delighted to finish my meal with the masala chai. There is a small upcharge for paying with a credit card. Overall, pretty solid vegetarian cuisine and I'd definitely come back for some authentic food. One of my friends has been going here for over 10 years, so it definitely came recommended! read more
25 days ago
Came to Upidi Cafe for the all-you-can-eat buffet because I crave for vegetarian food, especially Indian food. I have been here early this year but I didn't have a chance to thoroughly investigate what I was eating. I think it serves in the style of Thali as round plate divided with sides in smaller bowls. Since it's a buffet, I can take little bit at a time until I'm familiar with the taste. I also got more knowledge from eating Indian food frequently since I started foodie exploration early 2023. The buffet line is organized by hot and cold, not separated by entrees, starches, sweets and salads. So I started to indulge with standard thali entrees and breads. Starches are Poori (puffy bread), Vada (donut looking thing), Idly (rice cake) and Set Dosa (pancake looking bread). My favorite is to break poori open and use it to scoop curry or chutney. I actually like every bread they serve for different tastes. My favorite desserts are Semiya Payasam (vermicelli kheer in sweet milk) and coconut rice. My favorite rice is biriyani, of course, more flavors than plain rice. My favorite entree is Mutter Paneer (cheese is creamier than other restaurants) and Jackfruit Curry. When it says spicy and red, it is very spicy. I usually bring some yogurt based sauce (not sure exact name) to cool my palate if I accidentally consumed spicy food. Overall, $14.99 makes my wallet happy and tummy happy. Buffet lunch is only served on weekdays from 11 am to 2:30 pm. Remember, it's closed on Mondays. read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
The food was substandard. The sweets are frozen, however the service was really good. The guy in the front desk was very nice and accomodating read more
2 years ago
Service was great, although the wait time was on the higher side for a not-so-full sunday dinner hour. Had the alu bonda, and the mysore masala dosa. The combo thali also came with a small dosa and one idli, vada, and a portion of kesari bath and upma each. Flavors were on the subtler side which I personally liked, but maybe worth considering for some people. Found out from the owner, Mr Satheesh that he also started the Udupi Cafe in Monroeville, Pittsburgh (it was the first one) along with a few others who are still there. I loved the appetizing tomato rasam that was served before the meal! First experience of Indian food in Houston was decent, but I will perhaps always be more conservative with my praise for Indian food! read more
Had stopped by here recently to grab some vegetarian snacks. After being seated, I noticed some photos of Anthony Bourdain with the owner, so I had to ask about the details. He told me that Anthony Bourdain would his restaurant every time he was in Houston. The owner was very friendly and he did stop by every table to say hi and engage in a casual conversation. I ordered Bhel puri, a dahi puri, samosas and masala dosa. The items were good and filling. I was satisfied with the taste. Samosas were in point and served with two different types of chutneys. They have an extensive list of items on the menu, especially dosas. A nice variety of them. The service was up to standards. This is actually a sit down restaurant with table service. I plan to be back b read more
11 months ago
3 years ago
We visited the restaurant for lunch buffet over the weekend. The Vegetarian restaurant is located close to a busy intersection and easy to find. Pros: - we were seated promptly by the waitress who was courteous - The owner invited us and was gracious **, much appreciated - Having visited India and being a frequent foodie of Asian restaurants- we noticed a fantastic South Indian spread of more than 20 dishes in the buffet; - we tried just about every dish from Idlis, Vadas, curd rice, 6 types of curries, sambar, rasam, 3 types of sweet dishes, 3 chutneys, 2 types of rice. - They also offer 3 different types of Dosas as part of the buffet - which was delicious and well made. - the waitress was consistently prompt and courteous Now the cons: - parking is tough to find and the few spaces in front are filled up, with little to spare elsewhere - the idlis and Vadas were missing the authentic taste - it was either the lack of fenugreek or consistency in the batter. - it just didn't taste right; - Having tasted authentic South Indian food this place just lacked the taste, texture and flavor with multiple dishes. - There are wayyy too many pictures of the owner with some Indian folks all over the walls; I googled some of the folks and learned they were Indian actors and musicians; it was an overdose of personal glory; The food was not up-to the authentic South Indian taste;. Could be that we may have visited on the wrong day or the cook was on holiday. Wish the owner and staff the very best. - read more
With so many great Indian options in Hilcroft, I was not impressed with Udipi Cafe. I would likely go to Honest or Shiv Sagar if I am craving chaat-style food. I ordered a masala dosa and the potato filling inside was very plain. It was completely mild and lacked seasoning. The coconut chutney was also plain and watery, not the usual creamy taste you would expect from coconut chutney. I also tried the samosa chaat, which comes in a unique style compared to other Hilcroft restaurants. There is no yogurt and the samosa is cut up into the chaat mix. This dish had more flavor than the masala dosa, but I felt that it was missing the extra tangy taste of yogurt. read more
2 years ago
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Houston. Strictly vegetarian, flavorful, wonderful place with excellent service and, a thorough gentlemanly owner. Loved the rawa masala special dosa and the Brahman thali. Even the non- South Indian items were good. Mango lassi was sublime.... This is our new to-go place. I hope they update the decor soon. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
I got the Miny Thali for lunch & chose the paneer tikka masala & avial (veggies made with coconut milk). It came with the options of poori or roti - I chose roti, but they gave poori. I ate the rice with the curries, but I didn't try the daal or sambar. The paneer tikka masala was good, and the avial was not bad. The beans were just boiled, but they were okay mixed the paneer masala. The payasam was good, too. Overall, it was okay. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
The owner was super kind and helpful. Before the pandemic I would enjoy their buffet. Now that there is no longer a buffet I didn't know what to order. He made a great recommendation and I enjoyed every bite. I still don't know the names of the things I ate on the mini platter, but it was all tasty. read more
3 years ago
I need to quit smoking, doctor's orders. I need to quit drinking, court orders. This is a strict veg only resto so I had to quit meating for the afternoon as well, Udipi orders. I had to schlep all across town to get here, so my expectations were a bit high considering the start-up "expenses" of time and the frustration of sitting in gas-brake-honk Houston traffic for over an hour to get to and through one of the busiest intersections in the city of 59 @ Hillcroft. Notwithstanding that the end of the year is quickly approaching and I am dangerously short of my 100 yelp reviews for the calendar year. So I needed to pick up a fork and put some work in. The weekday buffet is priced to move at $8.99 which explains why this is a pretty popular joint for people that have time in their weekday lunch schedule to come down here. I don't live or work near here. The weekend buffet comes with a penalty tax of "you don't live or work in this neighborhood" bringing it up to $10.99. There was a table with a really cute teen/young adult with a UH-Downtown t-shirt on, so at least someone in the resto drove further than I did today just for lunch. If you didn't know, a buffet under $10 basically means that if you eat anything you got your money's worth because fair is fair. A buffet that nips past $10 in the wallet issues a challenge that you now not only need to get your money's worth but you will be tracking it closely with the ol' stomach ledger. So now you know why it is on like Donkey Kong. The lunch buffet begins at 11am and extends to 3pm. When we walked in at 1pm there were no available tables and thus a wait for a table. We nearly left for one of the other restos on the Hillcroft Strip. But I had already been propositioned by a prostitute out in the parking lot, so I mostly just didn't want to experience that again so soon from a ho that ain't ever heard 'no' before. I don't need to pay for it, hon, until I lose slightly less than half of all my stuff in a divorce then I paid for it just then I suppose. There are booth-ish seating areas flanking the east and west walls and the main dining area is composed of long tables, even though they are pushed together, you still get people at "other tables" smushed in so close they kind of get all up in your business (jalapeno business) which one lady on our row from an unaffiliated table was staring a hole in me as I was telling a hilarious story and otherwise just being beautiful. The buffet station flanks the south wall. You can pick a flat ceramic plate (don't!) or get one of the tin metal partitioned plates (yes). Edgar V.'s review was most helpful in this respect. I am glad I invested the time to read through all of the reviews otherwise I would have not seen his and would have made the ceramic plate mistake. Crisis averted. The server guy takes care of refilling water pretty regularly. So I have to say that this is pretty good service for a casual "buffet" sort of place. The only real strike against Udipi is that the "spicy" dosa I requested was not spicy at all. Not even that white lady that thinks toothpaste is spicy would think this dosa was spicy. Bring muh heat, or go home. To that end, the spicy onions were my favorite aspect of the actual buffet line. They weren't hot at all - and they were less hot than how Cuisine India down by JSC does it - but they still were the single source of any amount of heat in my mouth, so it paired with everything to give me what I want as a nice profile finishing on all of the other veg items. The buffet options are relatively numerous considering it is veg only. Every item available was fully stocked and the guy kept refilling stuff so nothing was ever "out" which is the bane of my existence down at the buffet lines. I can't ding Udipi too badly on the ho out in the parking lot. She was hurtin' for a squirtin' because of numerous socioeconomic factors and lack of access to education, infrastructure, and real opportunity where she probably grew up. I don't think Udipi contributed to that at all. But still, my mother would not have felt very safe or secure coming to this business with that kind of thing happening in the parking lot right in front of this biz. The lack of spiciness in the dosa and the ho out front obviate a fifth star but other than that: wear sweatpants, bring an appetite, don't expect much heat, and you are in business with a pleasant veg only lunch, baby. read more
For once I thought I'd ditch the yelp reviews and order from a restaurant with not so great reviews and I was soo soo wrong! This is the worst Indian restaurant based on my soda experience. I ordered food through doordash and the one star I give here is for timely doordash delivery. The Mysore masala dosa had every part of it done wrong. The soda was thick, the podi was just a lot of salt, the chutneys were bland and cold, the so called sambar was I don't know what. Disappointed to be disappointed:( I was craving for dosa and was really hoping for good food. read more
A couple of friends and I recently dined here, hoping for the best because it's kind of "our thing" to eat glorious Indian food together and I'm not going to lie, I have led them astray more than once (which I directly blame on Yelp and my inability to make decisions solely on my own). Initial impression was that this is a bit hole-in-the-wall-ish as most places on Hillcroft. I had been to the Sugar Land Udipi Cafe a billion and one times by now and I immediately noticed that the Hillcroft location still retained the olds school menu (I believe the Sugar Land one changed ownership and the new owner decided to class it up, I mean, the menu items are probably still the same, but anyway!). Being that I'm a fool for nostalgia (and I cannot handle change, as it can be extremely psychologically scarring for me as I am pretty much an old grumpy fart these days (verified by several close acquaintances)), that made me inexplicably happy. I opted for the Spring Dosa and my friends also ordered some dosas. The samosas were pretty unremarkable, but edible, so that was that, but the service was impressive. We were doted on constantly, our water glasses closely monitored and replenished like clockwork, a couple sips until depletion. The restaurant was fairly barren when we arrived, but gradually filled up with a handful of large families getting their grub on. Service remained steady and pleasant, which matters a great deal to me because there's nothing worse than being regarded with stern resentment by your waiter/server. Oh yes about the dosas, well okay, they're a bit wimpier than what I typically receive at other Indian restaurants. Sure, it was still a substantial amount of food and I ate it for breakfast (heartburn included!), but Udipi wasn't exactly generous with the potato cabbage-y filling. It's okay, I'm sure this type of thing varies from day to day. It was still delicious and we were all pretty satisfied. So good job me and Yelp, for not dragging my friends to another FAIL eating adventure. read more
The masala dosa here is the perfect blend of crispy and flavorful. This is the top place for dosas that are consistent. The others don't do it well, save bombay sweets. The prices are very reasonable, too. The place is nowhere near fancy so don't expect any frills. The food is the focal point. Don't worry about anything else. Hits he spot. Lots of veggie, vegan, jain options read more
Quickly seated, fast service, and delicious food! We loved the chole puri, samosa chaat, bhel puri! The gobi Manchurian was OK. Sip on some complimentary rasaam (South Indian soup) while you wait on your food! If you're unsure what to try, they have a great buffet. My favorite thing to get here will always be the chole puri!!! read more
8 years ago
This is one of my favorite Indian places in the Hilcroft neighborhood: Not only is the food delicious but the portions are huge and perfect for sharing for a very good deal! The menu is very authentic, and if you are a noob to Indian food then you might need assistance from one of the managers or someone that is familiar with such food! Amazing appetizers, highly recommend the masala dosa and the samosas. the food is so amazing that you will forget it is all vegetarian. I think the best deal out of the whole menu are the "royal" options towards the end of the menu, but be warned the portions are so big you could share! For the royal dinner, I had a yummy spicy soup, an appetizer platter that included a samosa, pakora, and other various finger foods, and the main entree that included various lentils, potatoes, rice and roti, along with a delicious dessert and chai at the end! I was so surprised by the size and price of this dish and my mom and I agreed that next time we would share such platter next time. read more
8 years ago
I had the assorted dishes. My only gripe was the price of everything. It was expensive for a vegetarian restaurant but the plus side is they give you free refill on the assorted dishes which is really cool. I wanted a variety and it wasn't too dissaponting. Some of the dishes were very strange like the milky mango yellow dish and the salted drink with cilantro. Very strange and I'm very food open minded. I have had Indian curries and dishes before but not like all vegetarian. Would I go back. Maybe. It was clean and service was good but there's much more to try on Hilcroft so many other places I want to hit up. read more
4 years ago
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7 years ago
I discovered this hidden gem while visiting Houston on a business trip. It's a short walk from my hotel nestled in a small plaza, and it's one of many Indian restaurants in this cultural district. I chose this one as I was looking for a buffet, and this place delivered. An added bonus is that it's vegetarian which I always prefer when available. They had a small buffet selection but the quality of the curated selections were amazing..tried everting and it was delicious! Make sure you ask for an after meal coffee. I always drink my coffee black and this coffee was exceptional and unique with chocolate notes. I could drink this everyday! Definitely give this place a try, especially if you are vegetarian..you won't be disappointed! read more
With the recent death of John Hughes and subsequent talk thread on his movies, I made a bank shot homage to him by doing my own personal "Ferris Bueller's (Half) Day Off". Knocking off work early Friday, I was determined to maximize my half-day of freedom. First order of business: have lunch. After doing the mental Rolodex, I opted for Udipi Café since Mercedes C, Jim M, and Elizabeth M all raved about it. Situated at one of the busiest intersections in the city (59 South and Hillcroft Avenue), it was just starting its lunch rush when I arrived at 1120 AM. The pure vegetarian lunch buffet runs $7.99 from 11 AM -3 PM. Warmly welcomed, the buffet offers at least 25 vegetarian options which are refreshingly non-frou frou for omnivores like me. The décor is a smattering of functional booths and tables - the booth tables have gotten lots of use indicated by the scratch marks in the paint where it met the wall; focus on the food and you won't go wrong. After selecting between a plain ceramic plate and a tin partitioned plate, I heaped fresh fragrant coconut rice, iddly, yellow daal, eggplant curry, a mushroom masala, and a mild curried vegetable medley composed of cauliflower, green beans, potato chunks, and carrot onto the plate. Taking my seat, the attendant waiter quickly asked if I wanted a freshly made dosa - included in the price, I asked for a spicy mysore masala dosai. Tamarind, mint, and hot chutneys were present and make for a lovely mix-your-own for the iddly. You can also dip this Indian doughnut in either sambar or rasam soup. The yellow daal was a little underspiced but was useful in countering the spices of the other items, which were largely on the milder spice continuum. The mysore masala dosa came out within 5 minutes but was also lacking in the fiery red chili found in the scrumptious versions at Shri Balaji Bhavan up the street. But, the star was the eggplant curry: slices of firm meaty eggplant rested in an aromatic mild curry that worked wonders when paired with either a spoonful of coconut rice or a bite of iddly. Raised knowing the 7 deadly sins, I was sorely tempted to commit to gluttony by heaping my second plate with a full 50% of this transcendent recipe. Eating your vegetables was never so interesting or appealing - Bird's Eye or the Green Giant a'int got nothing on this. Having had two trips to the buffet (thus, I was able to judge the merits of using both types of plates - choose the partitioned one), I had gorged on carbs in extremis. I knew this threatened to squelch my "FB(H)DO" by forcing me into a carb coma before everything else got done. But, dessert was still to be sampled in the form of an Indian rice pudding called kheer. It was creamy and flavored with the right balance of spice and rosewater but was a little light on the traditional raisins and pistachios. Having been led here by my fellow Yelpers, I've got to say that this place works amazingly well - for the same price as a "normal" lunch, you can delight in a furtive mental trip to another continent and have your own "Ferris Bueller" moment. Go on, no one's going to tell. read more
11 years ago
*If I could give it a negative rating, I would To my horror during my visit to my-previously favorite- restaurant, Upidi Café, I found this (refer to the pics) crawling all around the food and along the serving utensils. They simply just removed the one dish, but it was running over the whole right side of the bar. Also, I noticed that the water that used to keep the food warm on the bar looked as if it hadn't been changed in months. It was a very stomach churning experience. I will never go back to this place again. Shame on Upidi, I used to really enjoy their food. Disgusting! read more
8 years ago
My Indian fiancee and I decided to try this place one night for dinner. We're definitely glad that we did. We ordered the Mysore Royal Thali to split between the two of us. I don't speak a lick of Hindi except common food items and I'm lost on what everything is even with the description online. I just know it was flavorful, spicy, delicious, priced very well, and contained more food than 2 people can comfortably eat. I'll try to describe the items that I am familiar with. Samosas were decent and did not contain too much breading. I have a strong dislike for samosas that are primarily breading but this one had a good amount of filling. The poori (fried bread) was excellent here and tasted excellent with the chana (chickpea) curry. I really enjoyed the lentil dish that came with the thali but I'm not sure which one it is according to the description. The dessert was gulab jamun which I always find too sweet for my taste. The service was excellent. Although the thali only included one order of soup, the waiter brought out two bowls for the both of us. When we were done, he asked us if we wanted more. We were definitely too full to have any more. Definitely good stuff and very authentic. read more
Came here last minute notice on a Sunday night and was pleased to find they offered masala dosa at very reasonable prices ($6.99). The dosas here are huge and will fill you up. Not sure if they offer this throughout the day, but they provided a free cup of rasam soup as an appetizer. It was pretty spicy, but pleasant. Pros: -Price Cons: -Bathroom is disgusting read more
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