The Idli Project — Restaurant in Sydney

I hadn't been to parklea markets in years and decided to have a quick look to see what's going on there. I walked past the Idli project and wow it was bustling.

Compared to the overall level of people at the markets. There was a big line ordering food and easily 40+ people eating in their indoor and outdoor area

I've always been a big proponent of the idea, that if the people of the culture of the food are eating at the establishment, It must be good and represent their food and you might as well give it a go.

Pretty much everyone eating there was of Indian descent. We were pretty much the only non Indians eating.

I had never heard of any of the foods they were serving on the menu. And they definitely didn't look like your standard butter chicken and naan that I associate with Indian food but they looked interesting and it got me curious.

I saw a sign and it had the tiffin combo as their most popular. So I ordered one of those without even knowing what was in it and man. They were correct.

This was some good food and I really enjoyed it. I can see why it's popular

I'll break down the food for non Indians to compare with western foods and more common food they might have tried.

I actually had to look at the menu after closer and Google each part of the dish to identify it because I had no idea what it was as I was eating haha. But it was sure yum.

-The Idli was this white UFO saucer shaped cake thing. It was perfect for soaking all the different sauces chutneys etc. Id almost compare it to sponge cake or lamington texture but it's savoury bread like with a neutral flavour and savoury. It was good.

-The Masala Dosa it's like a crispy crepe which then has a filling similar to I guess a samosa and honestly who doesn't love a samosa. It has great spices in it and a lot of flavour. This was also great to eat with the chutneys.

-The Pongal vadar is like an Indian rice risotto. Super tasty and lots of spices. Great as it cuts through the spicyness of the chutneys.

-The Vadar is like a fried crunchy donut. But savoury. Really really tasty. But the inside texture isn't like bread. Its softer and slightly moist.

Overall really good food. I will be coming back. Really glad I gave it a go. I will note that the chutneys did have some heat. So if you don't like spicyness you may struggle a little bit...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Idli Project, and I must say, it was an unforgettable culinary experience! As a huge fan of South Indian cuisine, I was thrilled to discover a restaurant that serves authentic and mouth-watering dishes.

The moment I walked in, I was struck by the warm and inviting ambiance. The aroma of spices and freshly cooked food wafted through the air, teasing my taste buds and building my anticipation.

The service was top-notch, with friendly and attentive staff who took the time to explain the menu and make recommendations. But the real star of the show was, of course, the food.

I ordered the masala dosa, which was absolutely divine. The dosa was crispy and golden, wrapped around a generous filling of spiced potatoes, onions, and chutneys. Each bite was a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

But the dosa was just the beginning. The vadas soaked in sambar were crispy perfection, with a delightful contrast of textures between the crunchy exterior and the soft, fluffy interior. And the sambar itself? Absolutely sublime!

The variety of chutneys offered a delightful contrast of flavors, from the spicy kick of the red chutney to the cool, creamy tang of the coconut chutney. And let's not forget the mind-blowing wadas - crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with just the right amount of spice.

What truly impressed me, however, was the authenticity of the dishes. Each bite was like a taste of South India, with all the complexity and depth of flavor that comes with traditional cuisine.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Idli Project, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for authentic South Indian cuisine. Five stars,...

This idli project shop in Parklea is a rip off. Usually in other restaurants, if we buy dosa, the price includes sambar and chutney. Here bought masala dosa on Sunday 28 July 2024 for the first time. Dosa cost $10.90 plus masala $2.90 and seperate charge for sambar and chutney. Bought two x set vadas costing in total $17.80 extra price for sambar $2.90 x 2. The cafe never asked if we need sambar or chutney.

Bought Rava Kesari which taste like carrot halwa and was in dark orange in colour. This is not the rava kesari taste which taste different from Rava kesari we get in Chennai, India. We need to search for nuts and it looked as though the container was not fully filled, however when we bought it home, it looked as though someone has scooped some of the contents. Imagine for Ghee dosa, extra charge of $1.90 for Ghee. I have never seen such an unusual cafe. No more buying from here.

I don't recommend any other customers to buy food from this cafe. Imagine pieces of vada plus sambar costs $11.80 in total.

I am overall dissatisfied and disappointed with the price and the food not good quality worth the price paid for each dips for the main food. Especially the contents being scooped and taken away. Please watch your receipt before...