Dosas are a culinary blank canvas of sorts, but they’re anything but boring. Made with fermented rice and lentils, dosas start with a light, crêpe-like batter that’s typically griddled fresh to order until crisp around the edges, rolled with myriad fillings, and deliciously dipable in zippy chutneys, chunky sambhar and sauces ranging from mildly savory to wildly spicy.
“It’s the comfort food of South India, from very traditional to more modern flavors,” said Managing Partner and beloved award-winning SLC restaurateur Lavanya Mahate during a recent food media event at SV Café. Bustling with friends, family and business neighbors, all rubbing elbows with a few food writers and a smattering of local social media influencers, Mahate was celebrating the re-launch (and new name) of this colorful and warm space in West Jordan. The SV Café origin story melds food traditions with community connections begun in 2017, with the restaurant’s founding by Hindu Temple Priest Shri Satish Nenmali Seshadri—currently in Chennali, India running a Gurukul (spiritual school) for underprivileged youth—co-owner Dr. Dinesh Patel, and others devoted to creating a 100% vegetarian community gathering space featuring the best of South India.
As can be expected at a media event like this, the kitchen shared bites of a bit of everything for guests to taste. Dosas were definitely the star of the show: We tried itty-bitty cone-shaped dosa filled with spiced and satisfying potato, buttery and crispy dosa with mixed cheese, and even an of-the-moment dessert dosa with Dubai chocolate, pistachio and kadaif.
Also passed by the gracious staff were traditional uthappam (lentil pancakes) topped with cheese and tomatoes, which I can totally imagine even the pickiest of kiddos scarfing down without a blink. There were vada sambhar (lentil fritters with a saucy rainbow of stews and sauces), and even more desserts from vegetable-based fudges, to soft gulab jumun (milk dumplings in cardamom syrup), to a totally craveable finish of silky rava kesari (semolina pudding with cashews). Notable: Much of the menu is gluten-free and/or vegan, to boot.
Just being in proximity to so many people filled with joy, generosity of spirit, and earnest and honorable intentions gave my self-admittedly jaded heart a little pitter pat. (I swear it wasn’t just being slightly sanctimonious about having a meal that reduced my carbon footprint a bit.) Their goal of building community connection through sharing the basic human pleasure of delicious food is genuinely and generously shared here at SV Café, and it’s a lovely addition to our food scene, full stop.
I’m planning to go back and sample more of the menu soon, and am especially tempted by the “chaat counter” of the menu for indulging in some traditional snack combos. I mean, if Lavanya Mahate says that’s where to start, who am I to contradict?
When You Go…
SV Café
1617 W. 9000 South, West Jordan
801-996-3628
svcafeutah.com
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