Why go: Even carnivores are known to bow down before the all-vegetarian cooking of these two London spinoffs. When platters bearing the thin, griddled crepes known as dosas are brought into the dining room, it feels like an event.
What to get: Masala dosa, a potato-and-onion-filled crepe; the roasted-eggplant stew called baigan bharta; vegetable korma, a mélange of peas, carrots, and onions bound in a rich cream gravy; malai kofta, soft veggie dumplings in a thick, almondy gravy; the classic spinach-and-cheese confection palak paneer.
Best for: Vegetarians and large, plate-sharing groups.
Insider tip: The daily buffet is one of the area’s best, the curries lending themselves to slow simmering under heat lamps.
Open daily for lunch and dinner.
See all Cheap Eats 2008 restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
