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In heaven, it is always saturday and I’m on my way to Udipi. There are many restaurants with this name all over the world. The name Udipi comes from a small town in south india, where the cuisine is vegetarian. It is power food, complicated, ancient, and full of protien. The Asokan familia like to hang out in southwest india as often as possible.  If I can’t be there, udipi comes close.

Atlanta/Decatur Udipi Saturday April 4th with Jill and Randy: UDIPI MOVES!!!

 

mass confusion in the udipi parking lot

Udipi has moved to a new location. Nitan, the waitron has been teasing us with this news for a few months, but never had a hard date. It was worth the wait, and they have plenty of parking space now. Parking was a challenge at the last location, as you can see in the photo above.  

 They posted this sign on the locked doors. 

 

its by the Last Chance Thrift Store and where Indian Delights used to be.

 

Fancy new sign brightens up the strip mall.

 

opened wednesday April 1, 2009 with a pooja.

 

 

Walk into a floor to ceiling waterfall surrounded by bamboo. The walls are ripe for art. I’m told they have a lady in India who is bringing large photo prints. I’m thinking how beautiful my sister Cha’s monsoon photo would look on the orange walls. Would go well with the stained glass work they have built out. 

 

wish cha's photos were going up at udipi

So, the food. The buffet is set up so patrons can go on both sides, unlike the old space where the crowd would bottleneck and have to stretch to reach the back burners. 

no cheating here. this the real fluffy idli deal.

 

The kitchen made a successful transition. Idlis were “little clouds of joy” according to Jill.

I concur.

Sambar, dahl, pani puri = up to par.

Dosai was a bit dry but excellent anywayz.

Randy’s white bean chic pea had a strong flowery flavor that might have come from cardimom or too much ginger. 

 

 

We miss the pitchers of water they used to leave at the table. 

The place is much bigger, more seating, good move.  

1850 Lawrenceville Hwy

If yr wondering whats going in the old udipi, they plan on opening another restaurant, but this one will be non-veg. Don’t know when that opens or what its called. 

 

Atlanta/Decatur Udipi some saturday in February with Allison, Jill and Randy:

Udipi. It’s not a restaurant. It’s a sport. Insert photo of Michael Phelps here.

RANDY wins in the speed category, always. His plate is finished before I get back from the buffet on the first round.

JILL, I’m afraid, wasn’t up to speed and lost by default. She sent too much food back to the kitchen waste. But! She made it thru the meal w/out a panic attack, and ate her entire dosa, her saving grace, and is still in the competition.

ALLISON won in aesthetics. She went with small samples of mostly everything on the buffet, and the food was placed in ribbons around the stainless steel ramekin on the borders of the plate. She also had three desserts: a 10 pound mango lassi, carrot halwa, and the slimy papaya that hangs from the spoon like snot. (insert another michael phelps photo here)

According to Jill, Nisa showed excellent skill in filling to shell ratio on the pani puris.

Atlanta/Decatur Udipi some saturday in january with Jill:

The boom-box at Udipi plays Koi Mil Gaya, a bollywood soundtrack that kicks ass. The music at Udipi always kicks ass. This is the third saturday in a row, i’m here. Every week I try to disect the dahl, every week its the same: brothy, yellow lentils floating below the broth mixed with cilantro, sauteed onions, tomato, mustard seeds, garlic. I get the pani puri, but it’s a little disappointing, the cold brown juice just a lil flat.
The channa masala is a bit bland, too. Wonder what’s going on in the kitchen. Order mulligapodi for some balance, it’s nutty, salty, mild. When I eat at Udipi, I see people in the dish. There’s a different cook in the kitchen at Udipi on Saturdays. Just look at the dahl. Also, if there’s a buffet out, eat that. Only loosers order from the menu.

Atlanta/Decatur Udipi some saturday some saturday in january with Randy and Tommy Chung:<

“It’s yummy,” says Tommy about the south indian coffee. He gives it a 4 out of 5. He’s a pro barista so this is a major nod. It is. Tastes like an exquisite pour from an expresso machine w/ heated milk and comes in a stainless steele cup/saucer made for playing with. “I like it a lot,” says Randy. The dahl: curry leaves, onion, yellow lentil, black mustard seeds, thai chili chopped, and cumin seeds. Again, it has the liquid consistency of a broth. How do they do it? Tommy is a serious eater. The food on his plate measures 4 inches high.

Atlanta/Decatur Udipi some saturday in 1/9 with Jill: Back eyed peas for the new year. This is what’s different at Udipi this Saturday. Black eyed peas in a light broth that’s deceptive looks like sambar, but thicker, cooked down. Jill says it has a kick to it. The pani puri shells are thin and easily breakable, like a fine hollow pastry. So thin we saw the levels rise when filled up with the cold green pani water thats got ice chips floating around with a half of a squeezed lemon. Cold yellow masala of potato, cilantro, and urad is extravagant. Greenbeans are a little off, dry. The spices? Jill shakes her head, no. “The waiter with glasses is good looking”, she says. Of course, they generously bring fresh masala dosa to the table, small and soft, the perfect size. Sushi sized onion pakoras are outstanding.
Tell me how your trip to Udipi went…