Udupi Bhavan

Udupi Bhavan Review

Searching for the elusive Mysore masala dosa which is our favourite and a must-have on every visit to Bangalore, we came across Udupi Bhavan; which is a restaurant on Kaloor-Kadavanthara road. It is a two storey building and claims to have typical South Indian fare like dosas, idlis, puris etc, to North Indian & Chinese(!) dishes too. We were most interested to see whether they could serve a mean Mysore masala dosa and stand up to its name, so did it? Read on to find out!

A flight of stairs leads up to a sweets counter & the entrance is to the right. The restaurant has good seating capacity & in spite of that, the tables were full, which of course is always a good sign. The place is neat, with attentive service.
We were hoping to get our favorite Mysore Masala Dosa and were thrilled to find that it was listed on the menu! so we wasted no time ordering it. 


Suggested Reading: Not familiar with  South Indian food? We have just the right article to get you up to speed: South Indian Breakfasts!

Mysore Masala Dosa

The traditional Mysore masala dosa is easily recognized by its thickness yet crisp and soft textures at the bottom and top respectively. The most defining characteristic is that a red chutney of red chili, chickpea and garlic must be spread on the suface of the dosa before adding the quintessential potato masala. That gives it a distinct taste which no other Kerala style masala dosa has. Now onto the dish served to us.

The Mysore masala dosa turned up, with a twist however. They added mint chutney instead of the typical red chutney which traditionally accompanies the Mysore masala dosa. It was not brown & crisp like it should be. We were slightly disappointed that we still had not found a place to enjoy an authentic Mysore Masala dosa but decided to give it a chance anyway. 
What a good decision that was.
The dosa itself was nothing particularly remarkable but the chutney inside was actually very tasty and even the spiced potato inside was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We would say it is more akin to 'Mysore-style masala dosa' but who cares: on the whole, it tasted great and we look forward to trying this one again. This dosa is recommended if you have had masala dosas from every other restaurant in the city and wish to taste something slightly different from the rest. 

Uzhunu Vada

The uzhunu vadas [savoury donut] here were superb, being crisp and light as they should be. They are easily among the best we have had at any restaurant in the city. Worth mentioning is that their chutneys tasted great, being thick and tasty rather than watery in many restaurants.

We confronted (read: spoke to!) the person in charge there about the inaccuracies in the Mysore masala dosa, he knew exactly what we were talking about and admitted that it should use the red chutney as is traditional. We told him the food was otherwise good. 
Udupi Bhavan is good South Indian joint serving up delicious Udupi food and pretty budget friendly too, highly recommended. We hope to go back soon. 

Type of Cuisine: South Indian vegetarian, Udupi 

Location

Kadikkal Buildings, Kumaranashan Junction, Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road.

Parking: Few cars in front + dedicated parking lot. No problems here.

Ambience: Good, even for families unlike most similar restaurants. Well lit.

Service: Good

What we liked/Recommended for:

• Good, tasty Udupi/vegetarian food. 
• Quality chutneys unlike many veg restaurants in the city. 
• Decent ambiance for a veg. restaurant. 
• Parking area. 
• Cleanliness.

Potential Shortcomings: 
Our quest for an authentic Mysore Masala dosa continues! The one here [though tasty] is not the way it is supposed to be. Will update this section after another visit. 

Taxes: Included in price, no fat tax applicable.
Phone Number: +91 94959 98199
Timings: 07:00 - 23:00

Have you been to Udupi Bhavan? Share your experience in the comments below!