Eat Great Cheap 2013Let the young trendies line up for bottomless-mimosa brunches across the area. The not-young, not-trendies know to come to these humble outposts of southern Indian cooking where, on a Saturday morning, the buffet is heaped with breads, dosas, and an array of colorful curries and chutneys, and the line can extend to the door. We’re fans of the place anytime, and actually the best way to experience the simple magic of a well-prepared dosa is to forgo the buffet—order the dosa from scratch, then sit back and wait for the thing to hit the table, a long, arm-size crepe rolled and stuffed with, say, a hash of potatoes, onion, and mustard seed, pieces of which you pull off and dunk in a creamy coconut chutney.
Cuisine: Indian
Where you can get it: 4078 Jermantown Rd., Fairfax, 703-385-1996; 8046 New Hampshire Ave., Langley Park, 301-434-4202
Also good: Baingan bharta, blistered eggplants with tomatoes, garlic, and onions; palak paneer; chana masala, a stew of chickpeas, garlic, and onions.
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
