If you’re looking for South Indian authentic dosa in Bristol, trust me, go to PappuDosa.
Not long after we moved to the UK, a colleague of Curry Boy recommended a small Indian restaurant – PappuDosa to us.
Dosa is a South Indian classic dish, which I actually first experienced in Tokyo.
I still remember how I was impressed by its size, it’s like a giant envelope! And the masala potato filling was singing to me.🎶
I have had few dosas in my life, but this was the first one in the UK. I’m glad it’s just a 25 min’s walk from where we live.
Surprisingly, the owner is not Indian. Some say the owner went to India to learn how to make dosa, and he really can make a good one.
The day we visited – from the first step to this dhaba, a familiar spice aroma filled in the air, Indian music was playing in the background, 3 long red tables with a few shiny water jugs, mugs and utensils on top, and we were surrounded by mostly Indians, speaking in Hindi and different regional languages.
The menu is sufficient for a dhaba and a small community – half is dosa, and few options for snacks and Indo-Chinese. The price is very reasonable, considering in the UK, with only £5.99 for a masala dosa.
If I were blind folded, with this smell, sounds, and masala taste, I’d have thought I was eating in India! I just hope the dosa was crispy. But it’s not their fault though, because dosa can be crispy or like a soft crepe.
(And I just noticed they have “Paper Masala Dosa” which I should have ordered!)
Note: The dosa batter is made from ground lentils and rice, then fermented for long hours. It gives a slightly sour taste to the crepe, mixed with, of course, a lot of spices. Served with chutneys and sambar.
