Lunch on the hop. Where to eat? We ventured into a few places on Cowley Road before the lightbulb moment hit. Dosa Darlings may be an Indian restaurant, perhaps best suited to the evenings when a lavish meal and some stunning cocktails are the order of the day, but there you’d be wrong.
Because the stylish interior and large, colourful enticing restaurant is offering a stonking lunch menu which delivers on every front.
Dining with a vegan friend, we were delighted to find that not only did their tapas lunch include numerous veggie, vegan and meat options but they were all astonishingly good value for money, and sounded absolutely delicious.
the udupi special came complete with a mini uthappam, baby eggplant curry, steamed rice and masala potatoes for £8 (yes you read that right)
So we sat at a window seat watching the comings and goings on Cowley Road, ordering quickly as our bellies rumbled, the udupi special complete with a mini uthappam, baby eggplant curry, steamed rice and masala potatoes for £8 (yes you read that right) and the mango malabar delight boasting an onion bhaji, mango kari, steamed rice and mushroom & peas, again for £8.
A uthappam is a type of dosa from South India, thicker than normal, filling one of the thali compartments on the traditional metal tray, its two accompanying curries – the spicy potatoes and rich, pungent aubergine, plus a crispy light popadom, the dishes all carefully spiced and balanced.
The mango malabar delight was even more of a treat, the delicate, crispy bhaji perfectly fried and served with a tamarind sauce, its neighbours – the piquant mango kari, and succulent mushroom and pea offering – so delicious we had to order more.
By the time we’d finished, we threw caution to the wind and ordered a masala dosa (£13.50) because when things taste this good, it’s the next best thing. Nothing could stop us now!
rip off chunks, dip and eat – dosas are one of life’s great pleasures
For those who haven’t tried a dosa, firstly you’re missing out, but for the uninitiated, it’s an Indian savoury pancake loaded with different fillings, in this case spicy potatoes, and served with a lentil based sambar and a coconut chutney.
You rip off chunks, dip and eat and it’s one of life’s great pleasures, otherwise you can eat it more politely with a knife and fork, but either way our meal left us replete, satiated, deeply content and hardly out of pocket.
So next time you’re trying to decide where to go for a spot of lunch, or dinner come to that, head down to Dosa Darlings on Cowley Road because you won’t be disappointed.
Plus its one of the rare places that are open all week, from Monday to Saturday (12 noon to 10pm) and Sunday (12 noon to 9pm), so you can pop in whenever you want. Happy days!
Dosa Darlings are at 56-60 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JB. https://www.dosadarlings.com
