Dosa in San Diego

Which dosa to order

If it is your first time, order the masala dosa — crisp, folded around spiced potato, served with sambar and chutney, and the version everything else is a variation on. The Mysore masala adds a layer of red chilli chutney spread inside before the potato, which makes it noticeably hotter.

Paper dosa is the thin, enormous, shatteringly crisp one with nothing inside it. Ghee roast is the indulgent one. Kal dosa goes the other way entirely — soft, thick, spongy, eaten in a stack with curry rather than for the crunch.

Uthappam is not a dosa

Same batter, opposite intent. An uthappam is poured thick and cooked slowly with onion, chilli or vegetables pressed into the top, so it comes out soft and savoury like a pancake rather than crisp. Order it if you want something more filling than a paper dosa.

For kids, and for the end of the meal

The cheese dosa and the chocolate dosa exist because children order them, and they are exactly what they sound like. No apology offered.

Vegan and gluten free

Dosa batter is rice and lentils, so there is no wheat in the dosa itself, and a plain dosa made without ghee is vegan. But we mark each dish on the menu individually rather than letting you infer it — the ghee roast obviously is not vegan, and what goes into the sambar matters too. Those markers come from the kitchen.