Dosa Diner

We reviewed Dosa Diner (located at 3566 73rd St in Jackson Heights, Queens) a while back and had some not-so-great things to say about it. But since then we’ve gone back many times and it’s actually become one of our favorite restaurants! I know, it’s shocking. But read on and we’ll reveal the reasons we changed our mind.

Mulligitawny Soup

This is a great soup to have on a cold day, or when you're coming down with something. Why? Because it is usually supremely spicy and will knock whatever chill or ickiness you're experiencing right out of your system. The level of spice varies from "ooh spicy" to "Womigod that's spicy", as does the amount of rice at the bottom (usually none). Jim and I usually share a soup, not because it's a huge portion, but because it's so spicy and filling and we want to save room for the Dosas. -Ev

Chutneys and Sauces

You might think it’s weird that we’re writing a separate review of the sauces and chutneys, but there’s a reason we’re doing it. And that reason is because they are AMAZING. The discovery of the chutneys and sauces is one of the biggest reasons that Dosa Diner has recently been upgraded from a restaurant that we weren't too thrilled with to one of our favorite restaurants. Ok, let’s start with the dark red sauce. We asked what it’s called and we were told it’s “Malakopita”, but I’m quite certain I’m spelling that wrong. Anyway, we were afraid to try it at first because it looks really spicey, but it’s actually not so much hot as extremely flavorful and rich. It’s chili-ey and salty and hard to describe but really good. Okay, on to the Mango Pickles (the chunkiest one). The Mango Pickles are bits of mango and vegetables that have been pickled so that they have a super-strong pickley flavor. They are so strong that we can only eat a little bit at a time, but we love them! I believe the orangey sauce is Garlic Chutney, because it’s very garlicky. It’s reminiscent of pizza sauce, though that’s a bit ethnocentric of me as I suppose an Indian person might say pizza sauce is reminiscent of Garlic Chutney. I’m not sure what the green chutney is, but I’m pretty sure the main ingredient is cilantro as it’s very tangy. These sauces, combined with the standard Coconut Chutney and Sambar that come with all Dosas, make your dosa experience a super-rich, ultra-flavorful roller coaster ride of deliciousness. My ideal bite of Dosa involves Dosa, Sambar, Coconut Chutney, Malakopita (sp?) and a little but of Mango Pickle. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but oh my god it’s full of flavors! Make sure you ask for the chutneys. We got lucky the fourth or fifth time we went to DD when they brought them out without us asking and we were like, “What is this stuff?”. We’ve been asking ever since! -Jim

Masala Dosa

Mmmm. The good ol' delicious Dosa standby. The Dosa itself is usually crunchy on the outside and slightly more tender in the middle. I find that the varieties of dosas also come folded in a variety of ways. The Masala Dosa usually comes as a large tube or a large triangle. The amount of potato may seem a little small, but it is very filling. The potatoes themselves are smooth and creamy. And of course you get lentil Sambar and Coconut Chutney on the side. Mmmmmm again! -Ev

Mysore Masala Dosa

The Mysore Masala Dosa is very similar to the Masala Dosa, which Ev just told you all about. So I’ll just tell you what makes the Mysore Masala Dosa different: spicey red chutney! The inside of this Dosa is coated in it. It’s actually similar in flavor to the Malakopita (sp?) I described earlier. Or rather the Malakopita that I didn’t describe earlier because it’s hard to describe. It’s a very rich, strong flavor and I love it. I generally order the Mysore rather than the Masala because The Mysore Masala Dosa is like a Masala Dosa only better. A +1 Masala Dosa, if you will. -Jim

The Bottom Line

We figured that since we go to the Dosa Diner almost every Sunday now, we owed it another review to show our love. Our first review was less than stellar owing to slow service and some bathroom issues, but all of that has been resolved. The guests at your table may get their dishes at different times, rather than all at once, but service tends to be fast enough and the food is really really good. Addictive, one might say. Especially with all of those delicious chutneys! See you there Sunday! -Ev
Yeah we’ve had a total change of heart about Dosa Diner. The service still isn’t great and the bathrooms can still be a little bit icky sometimes, but we are utterly addicted to the food. We literally go about once a week. In fact we’re probably going tomorrow afternoon, and I can’t wait! -Jim