Ulavacharu Tiffins — Restaurant in Santa Clara

We wanted to have some Southern Indian food for breakfast today morning but didn't wanted to drive far off so choose UlavacharuU Tiffins.

We have tried many times before but always it was Togo so thought of having a sit down experience this time.

Since we were the first customer to the restaurant the whole restaurant was empty so we can choose any seating except the last area they are been reserved for family ( I think they mean family with kids) .

We ordered some breakfast items-

1. Idly - the No of idlies in this plate are 3 to accompany it comes with Sambhar & 3 different chutneys.

It took some time almost 20-25 mins to come since it was being freshly made as per the staff ( David) who informed us when ordering we didn't mind to wait. My husband got the chance to read his novel & I was enjoying some Bollywood songs .

When the Idli came I didn't see any coconut chutney so asked David about it , he informed only with Dosa they give coconut chutney but he graciously agreed to give us some.

Idli was piping hot & soft enjoyed it with all chutneys & sambhar. Their chutneys are really good - spicy tomato & Red Chilli chutney , Peanut chutney , Ginger & jaggery ( unrefined cane sugar) this is my favorite so far I have not seen in any Bay Area restaurants & last but not the least coconut chutney it was made with fresh coconut (not descicated or coconut powder which many restaurants make it) we enjoyed every bite of this as well.

2. Idly Vada combo we choose 3 Idli & 1 Vada- This was also very good pipping hot Idli & Vada it was freshly made . Their Vada was freshly made & crunchy. We shared the 1 Vada.

3. Ghee Masala Dosa - again very flavorful due to ghee ( clarified butter) can't go wrong with it !!!

The main reason we went for sit down is whenever we do Togo especially with Dosa the crispy Dosa turns soggy/ soft by the time we reach home . So we're really looking forward to have it.

The Ghee Dosa when served we didn't see any Masala ( potato filling) which my husband loves it so asked about it ... David informed us they have to remake the potato batch again from starch since the early batch became very salty so it will take time , we were bummed but couldn't wait that long so agreed to eat it with chutney & sambhar.

As we were enjoying the Dosa, David came back again & apologized for it again & comped us either with Medhu Vada or Idli so we choose Medhu Vada. We loved their customer service.

4. Mysore Dosa - it was good on its own as well as their chutneys & sambhar.

It's been ages since I have eaten it , It's a childhood nostalgia. I grew up eating Ram Ashraya ( Matunga Bombay) restaurant Mysore Dosa so nothing comes closer to that taste for me ...

We ended up our breakfast with 1 Filter Coffee it was very strong but good.

Overall we loved the food & will come back again in...

This restaurant blew me away with their authentic, flavorful food, generous portion, vegan menu, and super affordable and reasonable prices! I'm a fan of Indian food and this place has become one of my top favorite Indian restaurants to go to in the Bay Area!

I came on a Saturday at 1pm and there was a long line of people waiting outside. You can get on the waiting list online and they'll text you when it's your turn. Parking was a bit tricky but there were free street parkings. The turnover rate in the parking lot was fast though. Many parking spots opened up within 5 minutes and I was able to find a great spot.

As soon as you stepped inside the restaurant, you'll be greeted with delicious smells of the all the spices that make Indian food so delicious and welcoming. Our server was quick to get our orders. After some debating, I went with the Podi Ghee Masala Dosa while my friend ordered Kara Masala Dosa. These dosas were on the spicier side and we both loved it!

OMG the dosas blew me away!!! They were crispy but chewy and had that exquisite balance between an explosion of flavors and the rich textures in your mouth! The dosas came with a small bowl of soup and 4 different type of dipping sauces. My friend and I devoured our dosas and we were extremely happy and full at the end.

While you're here, try their coffee and chai tea as well! Both are phenomenally out of this world! I'm Vietnamese so I have high standards for my coffees and teas and this place did not disappoint!

If you need to go wash your hands afterward, the restroom is outside the restaurant, on the right. It was kept clean and tidy enough during my visit.

Overall, lovely experience and I'm glad to add UlavacharU Tiffins to my list of awesome and authentic Indian restaurants in the South Bay. Highly...

We ordered Kara Masala Dosa, Rava Dosa, Parotha with Korma , mirchi Bhaji, masala dosa, idli (not pictured), and Podi Masala Dosa. Among all of them, the idli was the tasting the best. They were soft, massive, and extremely filling. It was the best among all the dishes. The parotha was very nice along with the raita and the korma. The korma wasn’t spicy, and tasted good. The masala dosa tasted good, but the aloo masala was very less, and was just chunks of potato.

The masala was that way in the Kara masala dosa as well. The Kara was too salty and couldn’t eat the whole thing. It did taste good, if it wasn’t too salty. The cut mirchi that I got was too spicy, and burned my mouths, though all weren’t that way. The rava dosa was thin and crispy. They were generous with the chutneys and also gave us some extra when asked. The coconut and the palli chutney were good. Personally the ginger chutney was my favorite, though not everyone liked it. We also took some snacks while going out. The chekkalu were the best and tasted great. The absolute best was the palakova which I haven’t eaten that tasty since I was in India. We ate the entire box in a day, as it tasted beyond amazing.

The one bad thing about this restaurant is the inaccessible bathrooms. To wash your hands or use the restroom you need to exit the restaurant go out, and come back in. The bathrooms were disgusting and very dirty with no toilet paper or paper towels (at least on the day we were there).

If you are around in Sfo or in SJo this is a place to definitely crave your Desi food cravings. Will come back, despite the...