The hidden jewel of Jesmond, Dosa Kitchen is unassuming from the outside, obscured by a shuttered newsagent. Situated along Osborne Road since 2017, you could have driven past myriad times without ever realising it’s there.

Recently, the restaurant has been tipped by the Good Food Guide, a benchmark for brilliance in the food industry for the last 70 years. The Echo’s resident Indian food fanatic (Daniel), and foodie lexicographer (Phoebe) went to try it out.

Despite the unpretentious shopfront, a trip up the side street reveals a much more attractive entrance, and inside it’s as busy as central Chennai, with every table occupied.

Young families scarf a quick dosa and curry before hurrying home for bedtime, large groups of students celebrate the end of exams with cocktails and biriyani, old friends reunite and swap stories over steaming small plates.

Read more: Indian restaurant celebrating after making it into The Good Food Guide

Bringing “authentic South Indian cuisine to the North East” for eight years, you’re in the wrong place if you are expecting a chicken tikka masala or rogan josh at DK.

The Northern Echo: The entrance to Dosa Kichen can be found by turning down Holly Avenue, off Osbourne Road in Jesmond.The entrance to Dosa Kichen can be found by turning down Holly Avenue, off Osbourne Road in Jesmond. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

Instead, the menu offers a selection of authentic curries, small plates, breads, and most importantly its namesake – the dosa.

For the uninitiated, a dosa is made of rice and lentils during a meticulous three-day process. The pulses are soaked, fermented, ground down, and eventually spiralled out and cooked on a special pan. Imagine a crepe but crispy, savoury, packed with filling, and (our apologies to the French) better.

Restaurant manager and dosa enthusiast Steve has been with DK since its humble beginnings as a pop-up back in 2015. Knowledgeable and passionate, he sees us floundering over the menu and suggests a selection of small plates followed by a mix of curries, rice, and breads to share. As we’re a bit out of our depth, he chooses for us.

A short time later four small plates arrived at our table. The Chilli Chicken (£5.95) packed a real kick but was still bursting with flavour. Despite being a bit of a wimp with capsaicin, Daniel enjoyed the hotter dishes. Nothing is gratuitously spicy – it’s all just flavourful (if, occasionally, fiery).

The Northern Echo: Our starters (L-R): Chettinadu Kala Urandai (mini lamb koftas - £6.95), Chilli Chicken (£5.95), Mushroom Manchurian (crispy spiced mushroom, and Phoebe’s staunch favourite - £5.95), and Onion Ragi Pakora (deconstructed onion bhaji - £5.25).Our starters (L-R): Chettinadu Kala Urandai (mini lamb koftas - £6.95), Chilli Chicken (£5.95), Mushroom Manchurian (crispy spiced mushroom, and Phoebe’s staunch favourite - £5.95), and Onion Ragi Pakora (deconstructed onion bhaji - £5.25). (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

We also had the Chettinadu Kala Urandai (mini lamb koftas - £6.95), Onion Ragi Pakora (deconstructed onion bhaji - £5.25), and Mushroom Manchurian (crispy spiced mushroom, and Phoebe’s staunch favourite - £5.95).

Having devoured our starters and joined the clean plate club, it was time for the main event, including that all-important dosa.

Four curries, again picked by our waiter, turned up – the Chicken Varutha Curry (£11.95), Lamb Nilgiri Kuruma (£13.25), Kadala (chickpea curry - £9.25) and Cauliflower Paal Kozhambu (£9.25 – which Steve told is his personal favourite). We also got a portion of rice (£4) and a Malabar Patora (a small fluffy and buttery bread perfect for dunking - £3.50).

The Northern Echo: An impressive feast. Top (L-R): Malabar Patora (£3.50) Cauliflower Paal Kozhambu (£9.25), Masala Dosa (£5.50). Middle: Lamb Nilgiri Kuruma (£13.25), Kadala (chickpea curry - £9.25), Chicken Varutha Curry (£11.95). Bottom: Rice (£4).An impressive feast. Top (L-R): Malabar Patora (£3.50) Cauliflower Paal Kozhambu (£9.25), Masala Dosa (£5.50). Middle: Lamb Nilgiri Kuruma (£13.25), Kadala (chickpea curry - £9.25), Chicken Varutha Curry (£11.95). Bottom: Rice (£4). (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

All of Steve’s selections tantalised the palate - packing flavour, kick, and a kind of spiritual warmth you only really get from home-cooked food – but there was a standout star. Despite being both a lapsed catholic and a lapsed vegetarian, Phoebe saw the face of God in Jesmond, and it’s covered in green coconut curry.

For the eponymous dish, Steve picked out the Masala Dosa (£5.50) which was brimming with curried potatoes. Not wanting to make fools of ourselves we checked how we were supposed to tuck into a dosa and were told they’re a tear-and-share kind of affair.

Read next:

Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from as little as only £1.50 a week. Click here

So proud of their dosas are Dosa Kitchen that they don’t offer them to take away as you need to eat them while still hot and crispy. “We don’t want anyone to first order a dosa for delivery and think that that is how it’s supposed to taste”, Steve told us. The restaurant is committed to authenticity and its crispy namesake.

The Northern Echo: The unassuming front of Dosa Kitchen. A short stroll around the corner transports you to southern India.The unassuming front of Dosa Kitchen. A short stroll around the corner transports you to southern India. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

You might be wondering how two people managed that veritable feast – and the short answer is we didn’t. Two or three small plates, a couple of curries and a dosa are more than enough between two. If you’re going fully authentic you needn’t order rice as South Indian cuisine is all about going in with the hands and breads to soak up the sauces.

We came away more than impressed by Dosa Kitchen, and it was clear to see why this place had been recognised in the Good Food Guide. We’d never tried food quite like it, and will probably both become regulars; that cauliflower curry was lifechanging.