Dosa Express — Restaurant in San Mateo

Location: Easy access from 101 freeway. Parking right in front of the restaurant but only a few. If thats filled then it’s street side only.

Ambience: Bright, clean and upbeat. Restrooms were also clean. Such a relief to see that the owners have given this importance. Seats were plush and nice and not those plastic chairs.

Price: $$ slightly higher than other south Indian restaurants.

Menu: Variety of items. Kids friendly.

Service: Owners Hruthika and Sindhu quickly took orders. Both have pleasant and friendly demeanor. While waiting after ordering one of the owners came and updated us on how long it’s going to take to serve although it was served pretty quick.

Food: we ordered andhra karam dosa, veg thali and mysore masala dosa, salt and sweet lassi. Dosa was crispy, the karam powder was tasty, it was served with sambar, 3 different chutneys, onion tomato, ginger and coconut. Sambar was the best of all, next was the coconut chutney, ginger and last is onion tomato. It was bit too sour for my liking. Mysore masala similar feedback. Veg thali the tamarind rice, pulav were very tasty. Dal was good too. The curd rice was bit disappointing as it was mixed in basmati rice and it felt like the curd didn’t mix with rice and basmati rice hijacked the curd rice essence. The gravy curry was bit too sweet. There was no rasam or achar in the thali. Roti was nice and soft but it didn’t feel like whole wheat roti. I will not have their thali again. Sweet lassi was bit too watered down and not sweet enough.

Also there’s no mention of allergens present in the food. One of the curries had peanuts. Owners kindly add that in your menu.

Final verdict: We will go there and try different items. Will definitely try the idlis. True test is how they make their idlis. Overall...

Take out order and pick up experience-

The man at the front taking orders seemed irritated that I came in too quickly after ordering my food online since it wasnt ready yet. He had just seen the ticket when I told him my name. Which is fine, I was early, but no need for the attitude. When I first walked in, there were two ladies sitting down at the front table staring at me the entire time. It's clear they worked there as well. I stared back and eventually smiled and the young girl smiled back but not sure what that was about. Maybe because I have a lot of tattoos? Regardless it felt very unwelcoming and judgemental so try to consider that staring is considered rude to many people. Also the restaurant was very quiet and had an awkward atmosphere. Everyone just seemed to be in a grumpy mood. It really ruined my day how I felt I was treated in such a short amount of time. I was so excited to try the food too after seeing the reviews. I knew I should've been weary after seeing several negative reviews but I thought maybe they were unlucky. I was going to post this review solely based on my experience without even trying the food yet but I figured I'll at least be fair and rate the food. We got the ghee/paneer dosa, cheese dosa, and chocolate dosa. We also got a chikoo shake.. The dosa were just ok. Nothing special. The menu doesn't have a description of what comes with the dosas so we just put our trust in the establishment which was a mistake. The chikoo shake was good but also does not have a description of what it is on the menu. The kids thought it was chocolate due to the photo. I will not...

During my recent visit to Dosa Express, I had an incredible meal that left me more than satisfied. The food was full of authentic South Indian flavors, and each dish was clearly prepared with a lot of care.

I started with the Rava Dosa, which was light and crispy with a perfect texture. The dosa’s golden, lacy exterior gave every bite a nice crunch, and when paired with the chutneys and sambhar, it was absolutely delicious. This is definitely a must-try if you’re a dosa lover like me.

Next up were the Punugulu, little fried snacks that were golden and crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy inside. They came with a variety of chutneys, which made them even more enjoyable. These are a great snack or appetizer if you’re looking for something light but tasty.

Finally, I tried the Uggani Bajji—a true comfort food combination. The uggani (spiced rice) was fragrant and flavorful, mixed with finely chopped vegetables. Paired with the stuffed mirchi bajji, which was crispy and had just the right amount of spice, this dish was a perfect blend of soft and crunchy.

Overall, my experience at Dosa Express was fantastic. The food was fresh, flavorful, and had that authentic South Indian touch. I’ll definitely be coming...