Udupi Palace‘s Breakfast Thali, $15.95, 1423 Gerrard St. E.
The dish
Available on weekends from 10 a.m. to noon (outside those hours, it’s $19.95), the Breakfast Thali is a vegetarian sampler of breakfast staples, best paired with cardamom tea or a cold glass of lassi. Starting at the top left corner and moving clockwise, first is the sambar, a lentil and vegetable stew with a hint of curry heat. Next is a coconut chutney that’s slightly sweet with a soft crunch, followed by a tomato chutney for dipping. Then comes puri bhaji: curried potato with green peas served with a fried flatbread called puri, which sits in the centre.
The large white disc is an idli, a fluffy steamed cake made from lentil and rice flours meant to be dipped into the sambar and chutneys. Under that is upma, a thick porridge similar to cream of wheat. At the centre is the dosa, a crispy ultra-thin crepe made from rice and lentil flours. In the bottom left corner is rasgulla, a dessert dumpling made of mild cheese soaked in syrup. Finally, above that is the vada, a savoury fried doughnut made from lentil flour and served hot. Cool it with a dip in coconut chutney.
The restaurant
Marking its 25th year, Udupi Palace moved across the street from its original 120-seat greenhouse-like space two years ago when the building went up for sale. It’s now sadly covered in graffiti. Owner Hubert D’Mello says little else has changed.
“It’s just a different location. The chefs are still the same, even the dishwashers,” he said. “But we’re currently putting up some dosa and thali art on the walls.”
As for the restaurant’s name, Udupi is a city in southern India famous for its temples and religious sites. Much of the cuisine in that region is vegetarian, with the dosa being one of its best-known dishes.
What else is on the menu
When it comes to reliable vegan and gluten-free dining, South Indian cooking immediately comes to mind because many dishes naturally fit those categories thanks to the use of lentil and rice flours, along with curries where vegetables and legumes take centre stage. At Udupi Palace, the menu denotes which items are vegan and wheat-free.
On a hot summer day, I like to start with pani puri ($8.99), a refreshing vegan appetizer of bite-sized paper-thin shells filled with creamy potato. Before eating, pour in some chilled minty cumin-scented water along with a few drops of tangy tamarind sauce. On the curry side, most of which are vegan, the kadai bhindi or okra curry ($10.95 plus $3.25 for a large side of basmati rice) features a luscious tomato gravy with pinky-sized whole okra stewed with sweet peppers, onions and chilies.
For the most part, the heat level is fairly mild but if you need something to tame the tongue, the menu offers less common lassi flavours like rose, banana, saffron and pineapple ($5.95 each), in addition to the ubiquitous mango and plain or salty lassi.
Explore the area
It’s mango season and Kohinoor Foods (1438 Gerrard St. E) is the place to go for its selection of Alphonso, kesars, hadens and ataulfos. Ataulfos are a common, but delicious variety from Mexico that usually goes for $18 a box while the prized Alphonso from India are $50 a dozen.
Another Little India staple is the 50-year-old Motimahal, which serves biryanis, samosas, curries and house-made mithai. While it deviates from the Indian theme, nearby is Puerto Bravo (1425 Gerrard St. E.), a fantastic Mexican restaurant that has received the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation for four consecutive years.
Sister restaurants Belle Isle (1455 Gerrard St. E.) and Lake Inez (1471 Gerrard St. E.) are excellent date night spots, while The Black Pony (1481 Gerrard St. E.) is a great place to get some work done during the day and enjoy a cocktail at night.
