Dosateria – Make Dosas and Uttapam Your Way…
Who would have thought Tribeca would turn into an outpost of Southern cooking – dosa, uttapam and sambhar, that is! For those who thought they have to go to Chennai or at least to Jackson Heights or Curry Hill for their sambhar and dosa hankerings, the place to head to is – Whole Foods Market.
Early immigrants would have just about fainted if they had heard that America’s tres chic Whole Foods supermarket has now got their finger-lickin’ fiery sambhar and choice of dosas and uttapams too.
Dosateria is a brain child of celebrity chef Hari Nayak in partnership with owners of the Indian food company Cafe Spice and Wholefoods Market. Nayak is the chef behind the Dosateria in the downtown Tribeca Foods, and says they will be opening more locations with Whole Foods on the Upper East Side, Brooklyn, Texas and also in the San Francisco area.
Whole Grain Dosas & Mango Fennel Chutney
Indians in the area are of course thrilled to get their favorite takeaway food. “There are a lot of professional Indians who visit us from nearby offices who constantly thank us for starting this!” says Nayak. “Whole Foods stands for high quality and standards of products and good food. For us to be a part of Whole Foods makes us stand apart from any other Indian offerings in the neighborhood.”
So what do Americans think of dosas? “They love the fact that dosas are made right in front of them. I have seen many who have never tried a dosa and are now regulars. Vegans have lots of options and it is a healthier option than a whole traditional Indian meal.” Indeed, South Indian food is the best news for vegans and vegetarians.
Of course, Nayak does offer a twist on the regular dosas. “We make a whole grain batter as an option. We have signature fillings like pulled Butter Chicken, Tofu Masala, Chili Chicken Koftas, and also unique chutneys like Wasabi Avocado and Mango Fennel.”
The cafe offers fusion breakfasts which probably would not be available at a regular desi dosa joint but can be an interesting addition for those mixing east and west. These fusion breakfast dosas include
| Dosa filled with fried egg sauteed spinach, spiced hash brown potatoes & jack cheese and | |||
| Breakfast Uttapam topped with fried egg, roasted onions, tomatoes, fire roasted red peppers & mushrooms
For other meals there are the traditional and fusion dosas, uttapams and frankies: |
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| The Classic – turmeric potatoes. Green chili coconut chutney served with 8oz cup of sambar soup | |||
| Jai Ho – sauteed spinach, vegetable medley and jack cheese. Cilantro mint chutney | |||
| All The Raj – pulled butter chicken and brie cheese. Mango fennel chutney | |||
| Bollywood Chicken – chili chicken koftas (meatballs), roasted onions, queso fresco and avocado – wasabi avocado chutney | |||
| Good Karma – whole grain dosa with stir-fried tofu masala and fire roasted red peppers. Green chili coconut chutney | |||
| Om Shanti N’ Egg – jack cheese, fried eggs, fire roasted red peppers and avocado. Tomato mustard chutney | |||
| Shrimp Kama Dosa stir-fried coconut shrimp. Wasabi avocado chutney | |||
| On the kids’ menu are cone-shaped dosas with cheese, Dishoom with cheese and potatoes, and Dosa Wallah with cheese and chicken.
So now a novel experience, picking up dosas with your detergent and your flour and your six-packs of beer! Going grocery shopping could be a fun experience now! Related Article: Check out Hari Nayak’s recipe for All the Raj, pulled butter chicken dosa with Brie Cheese |
