Udupi

We’ve whizzed by the Fair Lawn Plaza, just off Route 9 in Shrewsbury, countless times. We’ve even seen the sign for the restaurant “Udupi” tucked in the Plaza. Chuck had wondered aloud if it might be like the late, lamented “Annapurna” which used to be at the corner of Southbridge and Cambridge Streets in Worcester. Why we didn’t investigate sooner, I’ll never know. But oh how I wish we had!

Tonight we went to Udupi after a longer than expected hunt this afternoon for some new sneakers. (Does anyone call those highly engineered, high priced shoes “sneakers” or “sneaks” anymore? Am I dating myself? I so don’t care!) We finally found the New Balance sneaks we wanted at Dick’s out in Natick. They were marked down slightly and very springy and cushy making our feet very happy. We also stopped at Whole Foods to pick up a couple of bottles of the Al Wadi Pomegranate Molasses fabled in story and song (on this blog anyway!). But the clock was ticking, the sun was setting and our stomachs were growling. What to do? We debated the usual suspects as we drove west on Route 9: Shiraz, Biaggio’s, Elsa’s Eatery, El Basha, Wild Willy’s, Blue Jeans, etc. Then Chuck spotted the sign for Udupi as we slowed for the light.

We were seated immediately in the unassuming restaurant. An extensive vegetarian Indian menu was presented to us. I zeroed in on the Dosai and decided on a classic Masala Dosai filled with potatoes and onions. Chuck chose the Baigan Bartha off the curries section and we also order Garlic Naan and some Mango Pickle. The service was prompt, friendly and unintrusive. The restaurant had a steady stream of customers; most of them families with kids of all ages and nearly everyone appeared to be of South Asian descent. The food was terrific. My Dosai was served folded in half, rather than rolled and the accompanying Sambar and Chutney were the perfect complements. The potato and onion filling was moist and flavorful. But Chuck’s Baigan Bartha was the star. The menu description of “fresh eggplant baked on a low flame, mashed with tomatoes, onions and cooked with Indian spices” does not do this creamy, complex, crazy-good dish justice. The Garlic Naan was both soft and crisp as it should be and studded with garlic. I’m not a big fan of Indian desserts, but Chuck ordered the Payasam and enjoyed every bit of its sweet and nutty goodness. The total on the bill? Just twenty-two dollars! We’ll be back...