Waah! Dosa porn again! When I'm at work too!

Who loves ya, baby? ;)

The chutney looks yummy!

hmmmm, i'd hit that

Dosa looks yumm!

But as saying goes, good things wont last forever. I wont be able to make it for the meetup :(

Have fun y'all ******s :)

PS: I thank Yo'dad again for the dessert from last meetup! Yo'rocks.

ANNA, why are you punishing me like this? so not fair....now i'm going to avoid the SM homepage just so i don't have to look at that (and i could swear that you delay putting up other posts for a while whenever there is "dosa porn"). if ever there was a good reason to move to dc....

on a side note, does anybody know of a good (i.e. home-made good) south indian restaurant in the jersey city area? so far, the only dosas i've tasted in the area are at north indian restaurants, which rarely cut it.

Aren't you people bored of dosa?

*ducks and hides*

the only dosas i've tasted in the area are at north indian restaurants, which rarely cut it.

BLASPHEMY! That's paneer dosa*-level wrong.

You, poor, poor girl-- you have my sympathies; yummy South Indian food is a right, not a privelege. :D

*Not to be confused with "paneer dosa", the commenter we have gifted with this silly nickname...she is always right.

Aren't you people bored of dosa?

Don't make me issue a Scythian alert. I'll do it.

Pick me! Pick Me!

Me and the husband will be there for sure!

Aren't you people bored of dosa?

Don't make me issue a Scythian alert. I'll do it.

ANNA, thanks for your sympathies - it's been tough (sniffle). i've been putting up with it for quite some time, but i think no more - it's my birthright, goddammit - i shall have my (good) dosa no matter what!

on a side note, does anybody know of a good (i.e. home-made good) south indian restaurant in the jersey city area? so far, the only dosas i've tasted in the area are at north indian restaurants, which rarely cut it.

Dosa Hut and the newer Ganesh something cafe on Newark Ave. They are not just the best dosa joints in JC but in all of greater NYC area.

I hate you.

Umm..is it just me, or did nobody else have any trouble deciphering what Anna wrote in her post?? :) All I could make out were the words 'meetup' and 'porn'! Well, knowing Anna and the previous meetups, I guess I'll just have to take a chance and risk it ;) Count me in, Anna!

Grrrrr. winter is on the doors, where are Chicago mutineers????

Wait, I thought it was talk like a pirate day....

Dosa Hut and the newer Ganesh something cafe on Newark Ave. They are not just the best dosa joints in JC but in all of greater NYC area.

i can't go that far, but do you know which the good south Indian restaurants are in Queens / Nassau County?

sorry to threadjack with my previous post. you can delete it if it's too off-topic.

but... revirginization theories?? what??

argh, I can not believe I will miss this one. Though I am in DC on 27th and 28th, I leave for NYC on 29th! If it was 28th or 30th, I would have made it for sure, sigh :(

6 · ak on September 19, 2007

on a side note, does anybody know of a good (i.e. home-made good) south indian restaurant in the jersey city area? so far, the only dosas i've tasted in the area are at north indian restaurants, which rarely cut it.

bit of a schlep, but try the Sri-Lankan places on Staten Island!
Yum!

E.g.,
New Asha Restaurant
322 Victory Blvd
Staten Island, NY 10301
718-420-0649

Call to the pirate order for a different place! Arrrrg!

I think the Sepia Mutiny meet ups need to become international! You guys could go on tour and bring that yummy food with you (please make Australia, specifically Melbourne, a stop)

These dosa snapshots are driving me wild.

Why can't every city in the US have a restaurant like "Amma's"????? (Or at least the city I live in!!)

nala - the hindu temple (flushing) has pretty good food in the canteen. but house of dosas in hicksville (on 107) is amazing - and some of the best madras coffee i have ever had (i broke an unofficial boycott the other day for some coffee and onion rava dosai - so worth it just for the coffee). there's also a new place in hickville, dosa diner - i heard it's not so bad. but the other two places are consistently great. are you from li?

i just realised what sucks the most - i'm actually near dc for the next two weeks, but have to schlep back to ny for a famiy gathering on the 29th. not that i don't love my family, but still...;)

rob and posterity - thanks for the links - definitely going to try it out. is the dosa hutt the same one that used to be next to the temple in flushing?

Call to the pirate order for a different place! Arrrrg!

Walk the plank.

I'm too sleepy to explain, for the fifty-second time, why it's always at Amma will attempt after waking and coffeeing

afff. no. arrrrrrrr.

is the dosa hutt the same one that used to be next to the temple in flushing?

no, that one still exists. it's been forever since i've been there (it's always too crowded for me to want to bother) so i don't even remember what it's like. same goes for the temple canteen.

i'm a queens girl, but close enough to long island. you're from li right? ...hicksville?

i think i can make it. depends on the time/the cal game that day...

also-- you do know it's georgetown's homecoming week, right?? as in every single georgetown alum will have descended upon M street...it might be a difficult day to meet in terms of logisitics (as in buses running on time, parking for those of you with cars, etc.)just a warning!!

also-- you do know it's georgetown's homecoming week, right??

No, I didn't know that. Hmmm. Where's Joe Alexander (the only Gtown alum I know of on here) when you need him for advice, damnit...

I guess I missed some previous meme here. What in the world is a "paneer dosa"? Besides a travesty, that is.

Aren't you people bored of dosa?

Ha, I was asking myself the same thing. I enjoy dosa and all but you rarely find restaurants that know how to make them crave worthy. Usually it's just some cardboard mess with sad, weak runny chutney. Although if the photo posted is from Amma's, it does look pretty good.

How about a dosa meetup in the NYC area? Is Saravanas still good or has it gone downhill?

as in every single georgetown alum will have descended upon M street...it might be a difficult day to meet in terms of logisitics (as in buses running on time, parking for those of you with cars, etc.)just a warning!!

Parking always sucks, but the entire WMATA/blue bus/connector thing is a concern if those are going to run even less efficiently than usual. I'm not worried about the restaurant itself, because once we RSVP, our tables are reserved (and on Saturday, the waiter who is known to smack me is there, so he's even more protective of our spot...if only to ensure that he can keep me within arms length).

Anyone have any insight in to this event? No one gives a shit about GW's homecoming, so I have no memory to ref. I hadn't set "the time" yet for our meetup, though I was obviously planning/hoping for Saturday, early afternoon. Here's the orig option (along with two alternates), since settling this detail may help with logistics (aren't most alums/people gone by Sunday night??):

1) Friday evening

2) Saturday brunch

3) Sunday evening

Although if the photo posted is from Amma's, it does look pretty good.

It is, from the last DC Meetup. :)

*twitch*

Walk the plank.

I'm too sleepy to explain, for the fifty-second time, why it's always at Amma will attempt after waking and coffeeing

afff. no. arrrrrrrr.

No I remember the eating everyday, etc...

eh? My patch is itchy.

To SkepMod@29 re paneer dosa:

A metaphor that started here and evolved into something of an in-joke here and here. (You may need to search the page for paneer and scan through multiple comments).

If your stomach is of a sensitive disposition, please don't read those threads immediately after or before meals. :D

*Not to be confused with "paneer dosa", the commenter we have gifted with this silly nickname...she is always right

YES!! Thanks for the shout out akka:P

All I could make out were the words 'meetup' and 'porn'!

Um, Does anything else really matter?

House of Dosas in Hicksville is pretty good and the one on Newark Avenue as posterity mentioned is Sri Ganesh Dosa house, it is the one opposite Rasoi and is excellent.

And for lunch its DOSA at Udipi in Montclair. In JC, I love Dosa Hut and that Ganesha place. Recently I had ChickenMysoredosa at Mughal in Edison, it was an outofbody experience!

I go to Georgetown, but I couldn't give two shits about Homecoming and can offer absolutely no relevant or helpful information as to traffic or public transportation that weekend. That may change if I ask around my department, which I will.

Um, maybe it was all the latin, but I couldn't find a time for the meet-up in the above invite. I have a daytime training to attend that Saturday, but don't want to miss the dosa. I guess my vote would be for a Saturday dinner or Sunday dinner then. Or hell, even Friday. I'm a grad student, I have no life.

Did someone say Chicago mutineers? Yes where are they -- plenty of dosa joints here (unfortunately, quantity trumps quality here).

Please see here.

But, I'm really amused that it has become such a fantastic running joke.

Anna's comment explained all that, though it should, of course, be read along with CoffeeFace's own link @41, which should appear like this.

Thankfully I'd eaten lunch before looking at the dosa porn, and thus was not at all tempted. Now, if ANNA had posted a picture of idli sambar I would be in trouble.

I miss South Indian food :(

No I remember the eating everyday, etc...

No, that's why I love Amma. We love Amma for meetups because

a) it's relatively inexpensive

b) it's low-key, which means we can hear each other

c) most people prefer when we meet for Southie food (note all the lust for dosa pr0n)

d) THEY NEVER KICK US OUT.

re: that last one...meetups are extra awesome when there's no one pressuring you to give up your table. I've mentioned it in the past, but when you're on really good terms with the mgmt of a place, it makes hosting something like this much easier. In DC, my best relationships are with Heritage and Amma; in SF, I used to be thisclose to the people at Greco. That's the reason for my stubborn preference for those venues, for meetups in either city.

too bad i have an afternoon of standardized testing.
yay!

just the sight of that dosa on top of the post, drove me to go to Udipi here and order a Mysore Masala :)

"No, that's why I love Amma. We love Amma for meetups because

a) it's relatively inexpensive

b) it's low-key, which means we can hear each other

c) most people prefer when we meet for Southie food (note all the lust for dosa pr0n)

d) THEY NEVER KICK US OUT.

re: that last one...meetups are extra awesome when there's no one pressuring you to give up your table. I've mentioned it in the past, but when you're on really good terms with the mgmt of a place, it makes hosting something like this much easier. In DC, my best relationships are with Heritage and Amma; in SF, I used to be thisclose to the people at Greco. That's the reason for my stubborn preference for those venues, for meetups in either city. "

Yes, jest, I know the reasons. However, I like buttermilk chicken every once in a while since never make it myself. :) It's ok, that weekend is killer anyway-

However for the record, I sent one of my South Indian friends to the Amma's in Georgetown and he told me in his opinion it was not that good.

However for the record, I sent one of my South Indian friends to the Amma's in Georgetown and he told me in his opinion it was not that good.

I def think it was more consistently awesome a few years ago, but after getting food poisoining last month at a restaurant that rhymes with "wood-ipee", I'm more grateful than ever to Amma. For the record, in my opinon, I think that far more often than not, in the hundreds of times I've been there over the past nine years, it's been yummy.

I'm just grateful to live somewhere where we even have a choice...some of my friends in Florida, Arizona and Virginia (outside of NoVa) live in areas where there IS NO southie joint. I want to revisit Woodlands. Sriram took me to Madras Palace or somewhere in Gaithersburg that wasn't bad, at all.

I def think it was more consistently awesome a few years ago, but after getting food poisoining last month at a restaurant that rhymes with "wood-ipee", I'm more grateful than ever to Amma. For the record, in my opinon, I think that far more often than not, in the hundreds of times I've been there over the past nine years, it's been yummy.

I haven't been there in years. I remember back in the early 80s when going to ISP in College Park on Saturday afternoons was the only time during the week when we would see fellow desi(s). Times have changed! :)

You know what would funny...if in 40 years people non desi(s) in the US start getting arranged marriages.

You know what would funny...if in 40 years people non desi(s) in the US start getting arranged marriages.

Isn't that already happening on eHarmony? ;)

My father was right! He always said people usually marry within their 'caste' in the US, i.e. social/economic class, religious upbringing and education level.

eHarmony!=Shaadi.com

You know what's funny? I was showing Shaadi to a non-desi female friend of mine and we looked at all the non-desi(s) with their profiles. I told her how the women get on there with the intention of getting married and she ended up rewriting her match.com personal to add the following line, if you're not interested interested in a serious relationship, please don't reply.

You know, every time you arrange a SM meet up, the god dam paneer dosa picture turns up, I have been dreaming and day dreaming about it for weeks, and these weeks have turned into months, soon it will be years, it is a hard dish to master they hype you all have set, I blame you anna J! ;) have fun all who attend!

random question that popped into my head: when you cook dosas at home, does anyone actually make them like they do in a restaurant? like all BIG and crispy. my mother and i always make them smaller, and usually also thicker.

madras palace also has a location in greenbelt, md near sri shiva vishnu and Murugan temples in lanham, md. there was an indo-chinese place there too. wonder if it's still there. never been.

oh yeah, speaking of indian-chinese: anyone in the nyc area, go to tangra masala on hillside ave. in new hyde park. seriously. GO. it's amazing.

@ nala #55:

Tangra Masala - yep go there all the time, highly recommeded. There is one arnd Queens blvd as well. Foods the closest there is to indian-chinese from back home. And yea, so much better (and better priced) than the highly overrated Chinese Mirch in Manhattan!

will probably be there with +1

Tangra Masala - yep go there all the time, highly recommeded. There is one arnd Queens blvd as well. Foods the closest there is to indian-chinese from back home. And yea, so much better (and better priced) than the highly overrated Chinese Mirch in Manhattan!

I've never been to the one on Queens Blvd. (I heard it was in Flushing somewhere?). I heard the New Hyde Park one was a 'rip-off' of that one and the Flushing one is even better... so obviously I need to get my gluttonous self there sometime soon.

port, what are you taking? (does it start with an "L"?)

I always thought the yenta tradition was a lot like arranged marriages. Perhaps shaadi.com is like JDate? :)

Well, when we have our next Scythian-friendly meetup, I move that we try out Bombay Palace on K Street. Their buffet has become a bit of a tradition with my circle of friends on Sundays.

It sucks that I'm going to miss the meetup. Boo! Oh, well, I guess another time.

i'd be down for some dosa action*
-newbie DC,SM fan

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPL2WW_2kCc

It sucks that I'm going to miss the meetup. Boo! Oh, well, I guess another time.

I will leave my binder about SM Camp and 'revirginization theory and processes thereof' at home then. Haha!

Anna, me plus 1 for the Meetup:)

Is Jay coming? Are you going to attempt to snuff him again? Fun, fun...

Portmanteau, good luck on your test!

nala
-------
random question that popped into my head: when you cook dosas at home, does anyone actually make them like they do in a restaurant? like all BIG and crispy. my mother and i always make them smaller, and usually also thicker.
-------

Yes. It is possible to make dosas and idlis and chutneys that are superior to the restaurant fare at home. thin crispy, fluffy etc. and one can control other factors (ingredients). You need to get them electric stone grinders for a start; they are a couple of hundred dollars I think. The miracle is in the batter (how fresh it is and how finely it is ground) and I suppose the recipe. If you use the correct technology and procedures, you will get the results. Of course, I dont do any of this (or even know how to).. The implementation is done by my spouse.

I shall be there, with a Cantony in tow.

camille, it does begin with an L. same as the devil :)
coffeeface, appreciate the thoughtful message. you know i loves the paneer dosa (blasphemy, i know).
have fun, y'all.

ANNA, WOW, a post in Latin. :) Amazing.

random question that popped into my head: when you cook dosas at home, does anyone actually make them like they do in a restaurant? like all BIG and crispy. my mother and i always make them smaller, and usually also thicker.

yes! my mom makes them on a giant electric round-shaped thingy. and she makes them very thin too. same with most of my family in india - one day if i can ever have the tolerance to be taught to make dosa with my mother (she's just sooo critical and so controlling - "after you are done mixing the spoon goes on the right-side of the grill...") i hope to make dosa like that too. i personally prefer the dosa at nirvana restaurant on k street to amma's.

i personally prefer the dosa at nirvana restaurant on k street to amma's

There's another place *in* the city which makes dosa?!

Ouch:

I love the idea of an all-veggie indian restaurant, especially when it's so close to my office. I've given the place a few chances, and it has never failed to disappoint. you're better off at Wendy's.. even if you're veggie.

Apparently there's a huge disconnect somewhere...people have very positive things to say about the lunch buffet but loathe it for dinner/ordering off the menu? Also, it sounds like a Gujurati/pan-Indian restaurant...and if that's the case, double-ouch, because someone Guju commented and said the Gujurati food was horrid...veggies in ketchup??

I'm kind of a chauvinist about that stuff, I tend to only order Southie food at an ALL South Indian restaurant. :) But you have me intrigued...anyone else have any RECENT experience with the place? The reviews on that foodie blog are somewhat old...

Ouch is right - "better off going to Wendys" - funny I also often get lunch at wendy's during work, that is until the one on k street just closed.

You know, I only eat at nirvana during lunchtime and I don't go for the buffet - I always order the masala dosa, which to me is really good. One time I ordered something from the menu and it sucked - it was north indian veggie fare. My boss and I have eaten there for the south indian buffet and he loves it (but he's white american) - again I just ordered the masala dosa. Amma's has variety in dosa and Nirvana only does masala dosa and then the small dosas when they have the southie buffet. But i've never been a huge fan of amma's sad to say - b/c it is one of the few south indian restaurants in the city and as I said nirvana has its limitations. And as far as both restaurants idli - I don't like it, but idli is very difficult to get that right texture from my experience. Usually when people serve it in restaurants or at homes it's too hard - the best idli is somewhat soft.

One buffet I wholeheartedly recommend is the weekend brunch at udapi at the crossing of university blvd and new hampshire avenue in MD - just a little bit away from the DC city. They serve an excellent buffet, with lots of south indian treats including dosa - As you would say Anna, I heart udapi's weekend brunch buffet :)

One buffet I wholeheartedly recommend is the weekend brunch at udapi at the crossing of university blvd and new hampshire avenue in MD - just a little bit away from the DC city. They serve an excellent buffet, with lots of south indian treats including dosa - As you would say Anna, I heart udapi's weekend brunch buffet :)

Are there two Udupis?? I used to love Udupi in Maryland, I've been going since the late 90s (pre-Amma!!), but then...this happened. I'm hoping there are two and I went to the bad one. My friend's thali had rancid curry in it, but he didn't spend the entire night crying and clutching his stomach. :(

what time?

Anna, count me in. Will it be at the same time as the last one? While I can see a case for making it post-Iftar, I must confess to being more partial to the afternoon gathering.

Are there two Udupis?? I used to love Udupi in Maryland, I've been going since the late 90s (pre-Amma!!), but then...this happened.

Oh no! I don't think there are two Udipis! Maybe it was just a fluk? My work colleague just got food poisoning at Naan and Beyond near K street in DC and my office eats there all the time and no one has ever gotten sick. I'm still going to go to Udipi unless I hear more bad news about it - sorry about your experience, but I think it was a fluke - but maybe I won't "wholeheartedly" recommend it anymore!

I for one am totally up for having the meetup after sunset so our Islamic friends can break bread with us. What say people?

Sounds like a good idea, Karthik. I don't want to be a spoilsport though, but I'm afraid I don't particularly feel comfortable with a meetup after sunset, since I will then have a long commute ahead of me. I'm sure the commute can be done, but it will restrict the amount of time I can spend at the meetup. In any case, I will abide by the people's decision ;)

Mr. Wise I just threw it out there. Whatever they decide, I am in. :)

BTW if you guys are talking about the Udupi Palace in MD, here is my review.

Lurkers welcome? , I am in. What time? Haven't had dosas after mom went back to India.

Lurkers welcome? , I am in. What time?

I think that is what needs to be determined. Were there others who are unable to make a daytime meet because of Ramadan?

no problem with daytime jaunt.

we would, however, be running up against the very formidable Miss India DC/VA/MD competition with regards to attendance.

we would, however, be running up against the very formidable Miss India DC/VA/MD competition with regards to attendance.

Have I been working too long? I went to the link and it said the pageant was yesterday?

no, that's my mistake. during a recent vacation, after excessive consumption of fritters, i lost the ability to recognize dates on a calender.

it would be sweeter, though, if we were running against the pageant.

we would, however, be running up against the very formidable Miss India DC/VA/MD competition with regards to attendance.

that's one pageant where the parents won't stand for any shortchanging on college scholarship money.

Can people please respond re: times? Right now we're set for our usual lunchy-brunchy madness, but I feel bad that I forgot it was Ramadan...I have no problem meeting on either Sat or Sun night if it means respecting that.

more reason to celebrate - india just won the twenty 20 world cup!

and the mention of ramadan gives rise to a question - is there an exception for sportsmen, or some such thing? i assume that pakistan's players, who are devout muslims, weren't fasting through the day while playing this tournament?

and the mention of ramadan gives rise to a question - is there an exception for sportsmen, or some such thing? i assume that pakistan's players, who are devout muslims, weren't fasting through the day while playing this tournament?

I thought that it was "optional". I remember going to school with a bunch of Islamic kids and most of them fasted most of the time. But some of them, specially if they were sick right around the start, skipped fasting that year.

Anna,

Interesting about Udupi. Have been going there since I was a kid, ended up with food poisoning a few months ago. I mean, really bad (as in a few days). I can't step back in there again - just psyhologically impossible, it was THAT bad. :-(

I shall try Amma...

Interesting about Udupi. Have been going there since I was a kid, ended up with food poisoning a few months ago. I mean, really bad (as in a few days). I can't step back in there again - just psyhologically impossible, it was THAT bad. :-(

O
M
G
...so it WASN'T just me...I've been going nuts, accusing myself of hallucinating all that gastrointestinal torture, since I am normally such a fan (and y'all know I'm loyal). It was horrific and I'm with you-- I don't think I'll be able to go back, either. The crying all night long is still too fresh in my memory. :( Sigh. There's no "in between" for Southie places, is there? Either it's a nightmare or it's fantastic. Enne cheyyam...

Re: 86 & 87

It's not optional -- one is expected to fast throughout the entire month. However, in cases of hardship (illness, pregnancy, that time of the month, etc.) one can be excused if one makes up for it by fasting at some other time of the year. Now what constitutes "hardship" is often a subjective decision. I suspect that serves as the escape clause for most Muslim South Asian players or athletes.