When you are touring the city of Mysuru and enquire about the best place to indulge in dosas, all flavorful tales tell the story of the Mylari dosa of the Original Vinayaka Mylari restaurant at Nazarbad Main Road. What makes it amazingly different from other dosas is the very rare combination of crunchiness on the outside and softness inside. Served with a dollop of white butter on the top, and accompanied by coconut chutney and potato palya, it’s truly melt in mouth.
The historical city of Mysuru is a land of great mythological and historical significance. Ruled for several decades by various dynasties, it is dotted with glorious temples, the majestic Mysore Palace and the splendid Brindavan Gardens sprawling with water fountains.
So, when you are touring the city and enquire about the best place to indulge in the all-time favorite dosas, all roads and all flavorful tales will lead you to the “Original Vinayaka Mylari”. When this writer recently visited the city, the cab driver gave some salivating description on the succulent uniqueness of this famed dosa. One couldn’t resist the temptation of deciding to head to the restaurant the very next morning. He had an immediate cautionary note for me to not end up at any namesake “Mylari” restaurant. “Such fakes are mushrooming in the city,” he warned. “The 80-year old original one is at Nazarbad Main Road, near police station, Doora, Mysuru,” he informed.
While the restaurant opens at 6:30 am, no matter what time of the day you visit there, it’s always buzzing. Housed in a two-storied building, the small seater restaurant serves a very limited but focused menu that doesn’t deviate from its mainstay. Even as one reached there around 8 am, as expected it was packed to capacity at the ground-floor level. The queuing customers, many of who are travellers from Bangalore curious to crack the Mylari secret, are directed to the adjacent entrance to the second level of the building that has a tiny, cute and cozy seating.
Serving the food connoisseurs since several decades, the management is a pro with its well-streamlined cooking strategy in place. The ubiquitous dosas are not just made to order but prepared in lots with the bearers bringing them to every table just like the extra servings of chutney and potato palya. With fresh banana leaf spread at one’s table, the pangs of hunger get even stronger with the anticipation of this much-awaited delicacy. And there arrives a pile of folded savory crepes with a wholesome dollop of white butter on top of each curled, long piece. The first desperate bite and then, bit by bit the dosa satiates you with a truly melt in mouth quality. Indeed, what makes it amazingly different from other dosas is that it is a very rare combination of crunchiness on the top and juicy and soft inside. The right thickness and their top-secret ingredients in addition to the regular dosa batter, make this exceptional blend possible. Serving with mild but flavorful palya and fresh coconut chutney instead of the regular sambar, is another way they do it differently. And can you imagine in today’s age of skyrocketing inflation, the masala dosa is priced at Rs 40 each! Yes, you read it right.
Places to See
Along with the gastronomic delights, the city is a great place for sightseeing. Here are some glimpses.
