In the heart of Gloucester Road, sits a new restaurant serving authentic south Indian cuisine. The owners, who already have a couple of restaurants (Nutmeg and Nadu) in Bristol and have plans to open another, say the food is inspired by train journeys through south India.
Unlike Nutmeg in Clifton, which caters to high-end dining, Kal Dosa is suitable for casual dining or even a place for snacks and pre-drinks ahead of a night out. With a fully-stocked bar and a range of cocktails to choose from, I probably should have paced myself when I went to its launch.
As a starter I had the cheese and chilli dosa, which is a large rolled up rice pancake. Although there were a range of dips - the coconut one being my favourite - the large pancake certainly had a kick to it.
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Having sampled a range of dishes on the menu, there was a good mix of hot and creamy curries on offer but none resembled anything I had tried at a regular Indian takeaway. Many of the dishes we are familiar with in Britain tend to originate from north India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and have developed to suit the British tastes.
But the flavours of authentic south Indian cuisine are relatively new in comparison and as a result, the variety of dishes at Kal Dosa may be unfamiliar to the average punter.
The dishes originate from the tropical, mountainous, and coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry. The menu features a selection of dishes specific to the region, including dosa, thalis and biryanis.
From green rice to spicy paneer and creamy curries with distinct flavours unlike your average korma, there are a range of dishes to choose from. And there's a full cocktail menu - the Mai Tai packs a punch and is certainly not for the faint-hearted.
By the time we finished the starters we had little room for the mains, some of which were enjoyed the following day. There is a sense of excitement in the air among the owners and staff, who offered a friendly service and were happy to advise on any queries.
It is the third restaurant in Raja Munuswamy and Arvind Pawar's portfolio and is located next to Porto Lounge in Gloucester Road, Bishopston.
