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DOSA on Valencia

Item: DOSA on Valencia
Author: Tom Molanphy

Cuisine: Indian

Price Range: $$$

10Best Says

Dosa provides some of the finest authentic Indian Cuisine in San Francisco. The restaurant derives its name from its specialty dish, the dosa, which is similar to a crepe, it is made from rice & lentils (no wheat) and served with a variety of fillings. The excellent Indian cuisine is mixed with a casual yet refined atmosphere, making Dosa the perfect venue for a night out with a little bit of international flair. And DOSA was popular even before the recent surge of new restaurants opening up and down all of Valencia Street, so they're more tried and true than some of the more recent arrivals.

Address:

995 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
4156423672

Hours:

DINNER Sun thru Thurs - 5:30pm to 10pm Fri, Sat - 5:30pm to 11pm WEEKEND BRUNCH Sat, Sun - 11:30am to 3:30 pm

Website:

dosasf.com

EXPERT TIPS BY: Tom Molanphy
San Francisco Local Expert

Mission District's Best Restaurants, Restaurants with Healthy Menus: "The Valencia location in the always hoppin' Mission District can be very busy."
Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus, Group Friendly: "The Valencia location int he always hoppin' Mission District can be very busy."

Best for Mission District's Best Restaurants Because: Dosa has been serving authentic, quality Indian food at this Mission spot for years.
Best for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus Because: If you want gluten-free but not spicy or exotic-free, try DOSA.
Best for Group Friendly Because: DOSA's lad-back arrangement of chair and tables makes putting together a big space for a group easier than most restaurants.
Best for Restaurants with Healthy Menus Because: DOSA has a well-deserved reputation for healthy and organic ingredients.

Dinner Menu
- Small Plates
  Chutney Sampler
  
  Tamarind, dahi mint, roasted chile-garlic and spiced cranberry, great with papadum ($5.00)
  
  Spiced Pumpkin Soup
  
  Roasted puréed, black chickpeas, fennel, ginger, onion, coconut milk, turmeric, cilantro, dill ($9.00)
  
  Rasam "Fire Broth"
  
  Spicy broth of tomatoes, tamarind, lentils & black pepper, sipped from the bowl like miso ($4.00)
  
  Winter Squash Dal
  
  Lentil soup made with persimmons, cumin, tomato, ginger, fresh coconut yogurt ($7.00)
  
  Artisan Lettuce & Asian Pear Salad
  
  Goat cheese, pistachio, watermelon radish, cucumber, sweet cilantro dressing ($11.00)
  
  Kale & Mung Salad
  
  Sprouted lentils, onions, chiles, apricots, peaches, curry leaf vinaigrette ($11.00)
  
  Spicy Fruit Chaat
  
  Indian street food, seasonal fruit, red chile, lime, black salt ($9.00)
  
  Lamb Chops
  
  Roasted, marinade of yogurt, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chile, diced salad ($15.00)
  
  PEI Mussels in Spiced Coconut Broth
  
  Steamed, ginger, green chiles, mustard, mini mung uttapam ($11.00)
  
  "Gunpowder" Scallops
  
  Sustainable, lentil-chile rub, Point Reyes blue cheese kitchdi, roasted pepper chutney, fried lotus root ($13.00)
  
  Fresh Seafood Vada
  
  Sautéed fritter of Dungeness crab, Louisiana prawns, cilantro, onions, chile, fennel, mint-cilantro chutney ($11.00)
  
  Chennai Chicken
  
  Boneless natural, air-chilled, Fulton Valley chicken marinated in Straus organic yogurt w/ coriander & cumin, fried ($11.00)
  
  Black-Eyed Pea Vada
  
  Manchego cheese, mustard, garlic, chiles, curry leaf, roasted red pepper chutney ($11.00)
  
  3-Cheese Dosa Roll
  
  Dosa rolled with fontina, mozzarella & cheddar cheese served with roasted chile garlic &tomato chutney ($9.00)
  
  Vada Pav (Vegetarian slider)
  Spiced-potato patty, chutneys, caramelized onions & "gunpowder", ground chiles & lentils (1 or 2)
  
  $6.00
  
  $10.00
  Dahi Vada
  
  Lentil fritters covered with cool Straus organic yogurt, piped with tamarind & mint, mildly spiced ($9.00)
  
  Idli Sambar or Vada Sambar
  
  Steamed rice patties or lentil dumplings served in Sambar, a lentil dipping soup ($8.00)
- Entrées (Curries & More)
  
  Fresh Fish of the Day
  
  (Tuesday to Friday) Daily catch prepared in a traditional South Indian style, please ask your server
  
  Prawn Masala w/ Louisiana Shrimp*
  
  Reduction of coconut milk, red chiles, ginger, red onions, spices (great w/ coconut rice) ($18.00)
  
  Lamb Pepper Fry*
  
  Free-range & natural lamb, seasonal peppers, chiles, onion, mint and lime (great w/ lemon brown rice) ($22.00)
  
  Karaikudi Chicken Korma *
  
  Boneless, dried coconut, ginger, garlic, green cardamom, cinnamon (great w/ lemon brown rice) ($21.00)
  
  Sunchoke Kofta*
  
  Vegan "meatballs", cashews, saffron, green cardamom, bay leaf cloves, garlic (great w/ coconut rice) ($17.00)
  
  Channa Bhatura
  
  Chickpea (garbanzo) masala served with an oversized, soft, puffy wheat bread or vegan poori(dairy free bread) ($15.00)
- Entrée Sides
  
  Coconut, Lemon Brown or Dahi (Yogurt) Basmati Rice Side
  
  ($3.00)
  
  Plain Basmati Rice Side
  
  Plain delicate, fragrant long-grained rice ($2.50)
  
  Plain Uttapam or Dosa Side
  
  Served like bread for the entrees ($3.00)
- Dosa
  
  Masala
  
  The classic dosa filled with creamy spiced potatoes, onions, and cashew nuts (masala) ($10.00)
  
  Sweet Potato Dosa
  
  Sweet potato dosa with ginger, shallots, chiles & curry leaves ($12.00)
  
  Mysore Dosa
  
  Masala dosa layered with a thin spread of a spicy lentil chutney, typical of the Indian city of Mysore ($12.00)
  
  Fennel & Spinach Dosa
  
  A seasonal favorite made with sautéed spinach, fennel and Indian spices ($13.00)
  
  Paneer & Peas
  
  Dosa filled with spiced and shredded farmer's cheese, lightly grilled with peas & cilantro ($13.00)
  
  White Truffle Masala
  
  Masala dosa, with truffle oil from France ($12.00)
  
  Lamb 'Keema'
  
  Plain dosa served with a side of minced lamb and diced potatoes ($15.00)
  
  Habanero-Mango Masala
  
  (Warning: Very intense heat!) Masala dosa layered with spread of spicy habanero chutney ($12.00)
  
  Spicy Mung Masala
  
  Mung lentil dosa with green chiles, chopped onions, cilantro and spiced potatoes ($12.00)
  
  Paper Masala
  
  A thin, pliable and crispy variation, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashew nuts ($12.00)
  
  Egg
  
  Mildly spiced cage-free eggs spread and cooked across the inside of the dosa, onions and chiles ($12.00)
  
  Rava Masala
  
  A wispy dosa made of semolina and wheat, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashews ($11.00)
  
  Onion Rava
  
  Rava dosa with red and yellow onions caramelized into the batter ($10.00)
- Uttapam
  
  Organic Mushroom & Arugula
  
  Trumpet, maitake & beech, mushrooms, curry leaves, truffle oil, topped w baby fresh arugula ($15.00)
  
  Roasted Vegetable
  
  Parsnip, carrot, red onions, Swiss chard , mixed sweet peppers ($13.50)
  
  Paneer & Peas
  
  Topped with spiced and shredded farmer's cheese, lightly grilled with peas & cilantro ($13.00)
  
  Mixed Chile Pepper
  
  Assorted chiles including serrano, jalapeno, habañero and Thai chiles, garnished with cilantro ($11.00)
  
  South Indian Moons
  
  Chef's selection of five different Uttapams ($14.00)
  
  Caramelized Onion
  
  Caramelized onions, garnished with cilantro ($10.00)
- Rice, Bread & Sides
  
  Dahi Rice
  
  Straus organic yogurt with Tilda Basmati rice...a mouth-cooling South Indian alternative to raita ($6.00)
  
  Raita
  
  Chopped cucumber in spiced, cool Straus organic yogurt ($4.50)
  
  Chutneys
  
  An extra serving of tomato, coconut, tamarind, cilantro-mint, chile-garlic or habañero ($1.00)
  
  Achaar (Indian Relish)
  
  Green mango (spicy or sweet), Garlic, Lime, Mixed Vegetables, Chile ($1.00)
  
  Bhatura
  
  Oversized, soft, puffy wheat bread ($5.00)
  
  Poori
  
  Two puffy round pieces of fried bread made from whole grain durum wheat ($4.50)
Brunch Menu
- Daytime Cocktails
  
  Bloody Mary 'Curry'
  
  An Indian twist with curry leaves & green chiles ($8.50)
  
  Tincho Spritzer
  
  Argentinean sparkling white wine apertif over ice with lemon, mint & green cardamom ($9.00)
- Starters
  
  Spiced Pumpkin Soup
  
  Roasted puréed, black chickpeas, fennel, ginger, onion, coconut milk, turmeric, cilantro, curry leaf ($9.00)
  
  Rasam "Fire Broth"
  
  Spicy broth of tomatoes, tamarind, lentils & black pepper...sipped from the bowl like Miso ($4.00)
  
  Winter Squash Dal
  
  Lentil soup made with persimmons, cumin, tomato, ginger, fresh coconut yogurt ($7.00)
  
  Asian Pear & Goat Cheese Salad
  
  Seasonal chicories, cucumber, watermelon radish, toasted pistachios & sweet cilantro dressing ($11.00)
  
  Mung & Kale Salad
  
  Sprouted lentils, malabar pepper, coconut, pomegranate, cumin-blood orange dressing ($9.00)
  
  Lamb Baida Roti
  
  Roti brushed with cage-free eggs, filled with spiced ground, natural lamb, diced potatoes, peppers ($11.00)
  
  Pani Puri
  
  Small hollow, crispy breads to be filled with spicy-sour mint & tamarind water, black chickpeas, mung, parsnips, squash ($9.00)
  
  Papdi Chaat
  
  Crispy crackers, diced mango, avocado, spiced yogurt, mashed potatoes, cilantro-mint & tamarind chutneys ($9.00)
  
  Bhel Puri
  
  Puffed rice, crunchy chickpea noodles, roasted parsnips, squash, potatoes, orange segments, mint-tamarind chutneys ($9.00)
  
  Dahi Vada
  
  Lentil dumplings, topped with cool Straus organic yogurt, piped with tamarind & mint, mildly spiced ($9.00)
  
  Idli Sambar or Vada Sambar
  
  Steamed rice patties or lentil dumplings served in Sambar, a lentil dipping soup ($7.00)
- South Indian Thali
  
  Vegetarian
  
  Assortment of vegetarian dishes including curry, dal (lentil), vegetables, bread, rice & dessert ($15.00)
  
  Chicken or Lamb
  
  Replace one vegetarian curry with either chicken or lamb ($17.00)
- Eggs
  Egg & Cheese Dosa
  
  Mildly spiced eggs w/ a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheese ($10.00)
  
  South India Omelet
  
  Prepared like a frittata with diced onions, chiles, tomatoes and cilantro ($9.00)
  
  Lamb Keema Omelet
  
  South India omelet filled withminced lamb, peas and diced potatoes ($12.00)
  
  Egg Poriyal Uttapam
  
  Uttapam served with a South Indian scramble of eggs, chiles, tomatoes and onions ($10.00)
  
  Sunny Side orOver Easy Uttapam
  
  Tomato, onion & chile uttapam topped with two eggs, sunny side up or over easy ($10.00)
  
  Egg Poriyal Dosa
  
  Dosa filled with a South Indian scramble of eggs, chiles, tomatoes and onions ($10.00)
  
  Egg Dosa
  
  Mildly spiced eggs spread and cooked across the inside of the dosa, onions, tomatoes and cilantro ($10.00)
  
  Eggs Side
  Side of one or two eggs served scrambled, sunny side up or over easy
  
  $4.00
  
  $7.00
- South Indian Curries
  
  Lamb Pepper Fry
  
  Free-range & natural lamb, seasonal peppers, chiles, onion, mint and lime, with lemon rice ($18.00)
  
  Karaikudi Chicken Korma
  
  Boneless, dried coconut, ginger, garlic, green cardamom, cinnamon (great w/ lemon brown rice) ($18.00)
  
  Sunchoke Kofta
  
  Vegan "meatballs", cashews, saffron, green cardamom, bay leaf cloves, garlic (great w/ coconut rice) ($16.00)
- Dosa
  
  Masala
  
  The classic dosa filled with creamy spiced potatoes, onions, and cashew nuts (masala) ($10.00)
  
  Sweet Potato
  
  Sweet potato dosa with ginger, shallots, chiles & curry leaves ($13.00)
  
  Mysore Dosa
  
  Masala dosa layered with a thin spread of a spicy lentil chutney, typical of the Indian city of Mysore ($12.00)
  
  Fennel & Spinach
  
  A seasonal favorite made with sautéed spinach, fennel and Indian spices ($13.00)
  
  White Truffle Masala
  
  Masala dosa infused with white truffle oil from Alba, Italy ($12.00)
  
  Paneer & Peas
  
  Dosa filled with spiced and shredded farmer's cheese, lightly grilled with peas & cilantro ($13.00)
  
  Lamb 'Keema'
  
  Plain dosa served with a side of minced lamb, peas and diced potatoes ($15.00)
  
  Habanero-Mango Masala
  
  (Warning: very intense heat!) Masala dosa layered with spread of spicy habanero chutney ($11.00)
  
  Spicy Mung Masala
  
  Mung lentil dosa with green chiles, chopped onions, cilantro and spiced potatoes ($11.00)
  
  Paper Masala
  
  A thin, pliable and crispy variation, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashew nuts ($11.00)
  
  Rava Masala
  
  A wispy dosa made of semolina and wheat, served with spiced Indian potatoes, onions and cashews ($11.00)
  
  Onion Rava
  
  Rava dosa with red and yellow onions caramelized into the batter ($10.00)
  
  Chocolate Hazelnut & Banana
  
  Shredded coconut, Nutella & sliced bananas ($10.00)
- Uttapam
  
  Organic Mushroom & Arugula
  
  Trumpet, maitake & beech, mushrooms, curry leaves, truffle oil, topped w fresh baby arugula ($13.50)
  
  Roasted Vegetable
  
  Parsnip, carrot, red onions, Swiss chard , mixed sweet peppers ($13.50)
  
  Paneer & Peas
  
  Topped with spiced and shredded farmer's cheese, lightly grilled with peas & cilantro ($13.00)
  
  Mixed Chile
  
  Assorted chiles including serrano, jalapeno, habanero and Thai chiles, garnished with cilantro ($11.00)
  
  South Indian Moons
  
  Chef's selection of five different Uttapams ($14.00)
  
  Caramelized Onion
  
  Uttapam made with caramelized onions and garnished with cilantro ($10.00)
- Rice, Bread & Sides
  
  Paratha
  
  Unleavened flat wheat bread, pan fried ($4.00)
  
  Dahi Rice
  
  Straus organic yogurt with Tilda Basmati rice...a mouth-cooling South Indian alternative to raita ($6.00)
  
  Coconut or Lemon Basmati Rice
  
  ($3.00)
  
  Plain Basmati Rice Side
  
  Plain delicate, fragrant long-grained rice ($2.50)
  
  Plain Uttapam or Dosa Side
  
  Served like bread for the entrees ($3.00)
  
  Raita
  
  Chopped cucumber in spiced, cool Straus organic yogurt ($4.50)
  
  Chutneys
  
  An extra serving of tomato, coconut, tamarind, cilantro-mint, sweet onion or habanero ($0.50)
  
  Achaar (Indian Relish)
  
  Green mango (spicy or sweet), Garlic, Lime, Mixed Vegetable, Chile ($1.00)
Happy Hour
- Beverages
  
  Kingfisher
  
  Bangalore, India. Light-bodied pale lager, lemony notes w/grassy hops, clean with dry finish ($4.00)
  
  Bengali Gimlet
  
  Tanqueray Rangpur gin, curried nectar, fresh lime, up ($8.00)
  
  Featured White, Rose or Red Wine
  
  Please ask your bartender/server for details ($6.00)
- Appetizers
  Pappadum & Chutney Sampler
  
  Crispy lentil wafers with sweet onion, roasted chile garlic, mint & tamarind chutneys ($4.00)
  
  Chennai Chicken
  
  Boneless organic chicken marinated in Straus organic yogurt w/ coriander & cumin, fried ($8.00)
  
  Vada Pav Vegetarian Slider
  Spiced-potato patty, chutneys, caramelized onions & "gunpowder" - ground chiles & lentils
  
  $4.00
  
  $8.00
  Dahi Vada
  
  Lentil fritters covered with cool, spiced Straus organic yogurt, piped with tamarind & mint chutneys ($7.00)
  
  Summer Vegetable Pakora
  
  Crispy mixed summer vegetables, paneer, sweet potato, served with chili garlic chutney ($9.00)

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