A Delightful Meal At Dosa Temple

Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines, so I always leap with joy at the opportunity to eat it. One of the best Indian restaurants I've eaten at is in Ashland, MA and is called Dosa Temple. Since it is completely vegetarian, the food tastes very authentic and is even patronized mostly by Indians. While their specialty is Southern Indian, they also have delicious Northern Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes. On my last visit to Boston, I made sure to dine there, taking full advantage of their discount featured in the Entertainment Booklet. On this visit, we took advantage of another discount they offer, saving 5% off the bill by paying with cash. This may not be the greatest discount, but since the food is already inexpensive, it made the bill even more reasonably priced.

First, we each ordered a bowl of the rasam soup ($2).

The soup was delicious. It was very spicy and had an excellent tangy flavor. The taste of tomatoes were strong, adding a subtle sweetness to balance out the spiciness.

Next, our appetizers came out. We were upset to discover that the samosas have dairy in them and cannot be prepared vegan. I am hoping this is a new development, as we ordered them last time. Luckily, there were many other enticing appetizers on the menu to satisfy my samosa craving.

We first had the Mixed Vegetable Bajji ($5).

This was wonderful and one of my favorites from my previous visit. The fritters were coated in a delectable batter that had a savory taste and were perfectly deep fried. I could barely make out which vegetable was which, save for the chili peppers, which had an intense heat. These reminded us so much of onion rings, without the oniony taste.

Next, we had the Gobi 65 ($6).

This was very similar to the bajji, although the batter was thinner and the cauliflowers were not as deep fried. The cauliflower pieces were very crunchy on the outside, with a soft and delectable interior, almost resembling the consistency of popcorn. These were even spicier than the other fritters, with a tangy flavoring.

Next, we had a Green Salad ($3) to cool down our mouths.

This salad is a must for any spicy meal. It was so refreshing and the vegetables were very crispy and fresh tasting. There was a delectable seasoning and the vinaigrette had a light citrusy flavor. I love the addition of the chickpeas, as they were a lovely contrast to the other vegetables and added a slight beany taste.

Next, we had the Temple Special Masala Dosa ($9).

This was excellent and definitely a highlight of the meal. The dosa was already precut into six pieces and the potato mixture was evenly distributed. The crepes were so luscious, with a slightly sweet flavor, which beautifully matched the smooth, moderately spiced curried potatoes. The accompanying chutneys worked very well with the dosas, adding a wonderful contrasting sweetness.

Next, we had the Vada Curry ($9), which I enjoyed so much on my last visit.

The curry was just as flavorful as I remembered it. It had a lovely mixture of spices and seasonings. The lentil balls had a very nutty flavor and were very soft and crumbly. The sauce was amazing, with a wonderful succulent taste, which lingered in my mouth for quite a while. There were undertones of tomato and coconut flavors, providing an excellent contrast to the spiciness of the lentil concoctions.

Lastly, we had the paratha bread ($3), Dosa Temple's only vegan bread option.

The paratha bread is definitely the best Indian bread I've eaten, even better than my beloved non-vegan naan bread, which I miss very dearly. This definitely works as a suitable replacement for naan, as it is very pastry-like and soaked in oil. It also works perfectly to balance out the flavors of each dish and soaks in their spices very well.

We all really enjoyed the food on this visit, although I am still sad at the samosa situation. I really wish Dosa Temple would make this vegan, since I always order samosas at Indian restaurants. This meal left me feeling incomplete without one. Nevertheless, everything was so tasty and just as I remembered it on my last visit. The meal came out to about $40, which is a very good deal for three people. In addition, we ended up having lots of leftovers, since the portions seemed even bigger this time. I cannot wait to dine at Dosa Temple again on my next visit to Boston.