Davie Dosa

Davie Street from Yaletown all the way down to the West End boasts a wide selection of eateries.  You will find anything from higher-end establishments, like La Pentola, down to little dives, such as La Belle Patate (it is a dive to me, but a good one!).  There is also a limited range of ethnic cuisine available with some being represented better than others.  So that brings me to Indian food.  There are 3 along the Davie, but one of the newer joints can lay claim to being the only one of its kind.  Davie Dosa (on the same block as La Belle Patate) boasts that they are the sole representative of Southern Indian cuisine.  In fact, there is a general lack of Southern Indian food in the GVRD.

Joyce and I hit up the place since we were doing the judging for the Chicken Wing Challenge anyways.  Interestingly, they were only one of 3 participants for the challenge and all were Southern Asian...  Anyways, we were presented one each of their Cilantro Wings.  For those with gluten allergies or sensitivities, you can rejoice!  These were coated with rice flour instead of wheat flour.  I didn't really notice the difference as they were slathered in a tomato paste sauce that was tangy and slightly sweet with a noted spiciness.  I loved how the cilantro was there, but not at the forefront.  The meat itself was succulent and tender.  Of course we couldn't just have wings right?  So we also had their Lamb Curry Dosa served with the usual coconut and shallot chutney, tomato chutney and sambar.  I've had my fair share of dosas and I can definitively say that the one here was on point.  It was thin, crispy and light with a pleasant chewiness.  Inside, there was a generous portion of tender lamb and potatoes that was aromatic and lightly spiced.

We also got the Palak Paneer with rice and home-style dosa.  This was creamy and rich but not heavy.  It was nicely seasoned where I could make out a few spices including the usual cumin and garlic.  The spinach was properly prepared (as in blanched first) so that there was no bitterness nor iron finish.  I found the paneer to be soft and tender where it retained its texture.  Although we only tried 3 items at Davie Dosa, it was enough to warrant a return visit in the future.  Compared to the dosas I've had at other spots in the GVRD, the one here was quite good.  Nice to see something different on Davie and a good one at that.

*Food was complimentary*

The Good:
- Dosas on point
- Reasonable pricing considering it is in Downtown
- Well-portioned

The Bad:
- Menu fairly limited (but focused)
- A bit warm inside