Dosa on Fillmore

Date & Time: Friday February 27, 2009 @ 9:00pm
Company: Kiyoka, Terry, Roni, Katie & Kristen
Crowd: Young, pre-party crowd
Vibe: Airy, sophisticated space with South Indian flair
Decor: Large handcrafted chandeliers & several large, vibrant photographs illustrating South Indian culture
Service: Pleasant, but busy - it's a very large space to manage
Devour: Bagara Baingan (baby eggplant, Andhra peanut sauce, sesame seeds & tamaring) and a Spring Dosa (masala dosa combined with fresh vegetables including peas, carrots, cabbage and red onion)

I was beyond impressed that this restaurant was so busy at 9pm, given its expansive 2-floor space (and the recession). Dosa on Fillmore is the much larger sibling of the original Dosa in the Mission. Before I go any further, I have to declare this restaurant as one of the most gluten-free- friendly dining spots in San Francisco! They provide a guide for special dietary needs on their website, specifying whether each menu item contains nuts, dairy, asafoetida and/or wheat. Asafoetida is an herb which is sometimes pulverized with wheat flour - so make sure to avoid this ingredient as well!

Armed with my special guide, I was actually able to freely share food with the table! How liberating! Dosas are a South Indian delicacy made from rice and black lentils - and, given the restaurant's name, they are the most popular item on the menu. Stuffed with fresh vegetables, the Spring Dosa was light and fresh. I recommend splitting two entrees with a friend as the dosas are large but somewhat monotonous in flavor. So, in addition to the Spring Dosa, I also tried the eggplant curry. Ooooh spicy! Yet another reason to split entrees...the curry needs a dosa to soak up all of the explosive flavor!

Simply by loading a dietary guide on their website, Dosa has earned itself a spot on my list of "go-to" restaurants in San Francisco. Go to Dosa and eat gluten-freely!

http://dosasf.com/
1700 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
415.441.3672