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Categories: Indian, Food Stands, Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Greenwich VillageW 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
9th Street (PATH)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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I finally came here! Dont come here too early. I came like 30 mins before it actually opened and I had to wait another 30 mins for him to get things ready (I was paranoid of long lines) either way, if you get here too early, you'll wait around just the same if there were plenty of people.
Anyway, the Thiru was super nice and made everything pretty quickly. I got the dosa and man, it was so good and fresh. It was so perfect. I should have asked him for extra sauce because i finished it too fast.
THIRU MY MAN! You the best best best.
Everything, samosas, roti, coconut chutney, ask for his specials. Order ahead. Give tips. Don't get scared by Stan, his occasional helper.
If you like spice - ASK FOR IT. You'll get it!
I straight up devoured that shit.
I really wanted to try the samosas, but they were gone by the time I got there (around 1:30). I must have looked really sad because the dosa man was super nice and apologized and offered to make me a mini-dosa! I was so grateful! I got a mini masala dosa (extra spicy) and a veggie roti (SOOOO good)! I asked for lots of that chili sauce he has and mixed it with my chutney :) All that for $4.25? Almost makes me want to buy an "I love NY" t-shirt. Almost.
Finally after passing the dosa cart so many times on a full stomach I was hungry this time! Yay...so submissively I stood in line...I wasn't going to let this chance pass again!
The wait was like 1/2 hour....but it was still worth it, I would come again!
I liked the dosa crepe very very much! It was just crispy enough to not lose the maleability of that crepe-like texture. @_^
I ordered the one with the pondicherry with the potatoes and veggies...but I believe those are inferior to the crepe itself.
Next time I'm getting just the dosa and trying the idly!
The two guys who operate the cart are very nice! :)
The dosas are OK but the coconut chutney definitely makes it better. The samosas are yummy, which I got with the mint chutney. They really need to get containers for the sauces, though. Not only do they run together, but it's not the most conducive setup for dipping.
It's great that you can eat your food right in the park and/or by the fountain. But if you've ever watched the film, "Kids," flashbacks to the scene they filmed there will probably mess with your appetite.
Outstanding. Worth the wait in line. Delicious masala dosa made fresh to order.
I finally ordered the Idly lunch yesterday. I made the plan the day before, calling up the man I call "The Dosa Bouncer" because while he obviously works for the stand, he doesn't seem to cook and his entire purpose seems to be to manage the considerable lunch-hour crowd.
But when I came the next day I happily got to skip the line for the Idlys, which are pretty much steamed dosas. The Dosa Man serves them up in the sambar which he mixes with the chutney, salad, and potatoes to make a kind of hearty uber-soup....a South Indian matzo ball soup. I love how many vegetables were floating in the tangy spicy broth.
The Dosa man is very nice too, despite the impatient and sometimes irritable people in line. The only reason it doesn't get five stars is that I prefer my dosas and idlys fermented longer so they get a richer sour taste. But it varies at this stand from day to day, because welll..fermentation bacteria are difficult like that and sensitive to weather. That could also account for all the Californians here saying how these dosas don't hold a candle to those in their home state. California sourdough, another weather-sensitive fermented food, is famous for a good reason after all.
I love how NYC has such amazing food carts! And it's obvious why NY Dosas is so popular. We were in the area a little early so the cart wasn't open yet, but people were already waiting! The guy running the cart is super nice and also has a great memory. He was taking several orders at once and people were just waiting around for their food. I was kind of worried that he would get orders mixed up, but he knew exactly who ordered what and made no mistakes!
We got the Pondicherry Dosa, Masala Dosa and a Samosa. All were very good and very cheap! I loved the sambar too. Kind of nice too to eat on a bench in the park and enjoying the nice weather. Would definitely recommend for a quick tasty meal at a bargain price. And even if you're not vegetarian, you will still enjoy a tasty meal!
The streets of New York City is filled with Mobile Food Vendors....and lately have added more dizzying choices to an already vibrant Street Food Culture....As a New Yorker I've tried most of them...and must say I have my preferences....and favorites...
Thiru Kumar ...".the Dosa Man" ...as he is called ...is a fixture around Washington Square.....A Sri-Lankan Immigrant ...he opened his cart in 2001 and immediately caught the attention of students, passerby's, brusinessman, tourists....who happen to taste his wonderful creation...The lines now are always long....
Known for his vegan dosas ....(my favorite) , delicate lentil & rice flour crepes filled with vegetables and potatoes, he had won multiple Vendy awards and mentions in NYC guide books . What sets him apart is his crackly..., deceptively... ethereal dosas...freshly grilled and served along side an addictive coconut chutney and a cup of spicy vegetable soup....The healthiest and tastiest meal you can get on the street. All for $6.00...Now isn't it time to meet the Dosa Man? You'll never get disaapointed....that's a guarantee.......
By the way.... ...you can easily find him on the west side. of Washington Square.....West 4th & Sullivan...... Nice meal after a long walk.....before heading home.....a lot of benches around to sit on and ENJOY the food........!
SO GOOD. Get there earlier or phone ahead, because people line up for this guy. I don't know what to recommend, because everything is worth trying at least once. I've been to India, but I never saw anybody put fresh, green lettuce in a dosa before. In fact, the options all look pretty unique to me, and you have lovely Washington Square Park right there to eat them in. Yummy samosas and chutneys to dip 'em in on the side. Five stars for a food cart. Great value, and one of those things that makes people erroneously but affectionately coo "only in New York."
The dosa man at Washington Square Park serves up some really great dosas. Though there were about 4 people in front of me in the line, it only took a maximum of 10 minutes to get my food. I ordered a 2 Masala Dosas and 2 Samosas for 13 bucks (what a deal)! (The dosas were 5 bucks each, and 2 samosas were 3 bucks). I was a little disappointed at the amount of filling inside the actual dosas (and it's mainly all spiced, flavored potatoes). Given that I'm an insane meatlover, I felt like there was something missing, but oh well, I guess it's okay to go vegetarian once in a while.
That said, I really loved the way you can watch him make the dosas on his griddle in his tiny cart. For a tasty and filling lunch, I may head back here for a quick fix.
I've been looking for Thiru for the last one year and unfortunate as it seems, I always seem to come by on the days that he's not around (yes those winter days, those Sundays and those random times).
One weekday while walking home and cutting through Wash Sq Park, I decided to give it another shot at locating the dude. Just to make sure I didn't get the location wrong, I made sure to consult a park ranger and you can imagine my elation when I was told "Dosa Man, just walk straight, you'll see him". Finally, I've tracked him down and indeed at the location that I've always known him to be at.
Customers seemed to have a pretty good idea what to order. I was a little undecided and sought Thiru's recommendation. He told me to go for the Special Pondicherry which he claims is the most popular item. I went with the suggestion and opted for extra spicy. I must say for a cart guy, Thiru sure has some superb customer service. He takes such good care of his customers and even patronizes the bums that come by his cart.
With my box in hand, I hurried home, in anticipation to tuck into my dosa. It smelled soooo good and I'm glad to report that it tasted really good too. The extra spicy wasn't spicy at all but was delicious.
I have to admit that I have a personal gripe with the prices of veg Indian food in the city. While at $6, NY Dosas is definitely a great deal compared to $10 dosas in Curry Hill, it just seems like based on the ingredients used, this could be better priced at $3-4 instead.
For poor souls who have not had REAL authentic South Indian food, the dosa man definitely fills a niche. But truthfully, the dosas here are average at best especially in the face of dosas in India or even in California. The masala in the dosas isn't really all that flavorful and the dosa I had was soggy. The whole point is the crispy deliciousness! So needless to say, I was disappointed. However, I do give Thiru points for effort and for his delightful demeanor. Also, the sambar wasn't half bad.
I am lucky enough to have summer Fridays, so this is my only chance to get the dosas (closed on weekends). For the price, being vegetarian friendly, filling, and great service, its gets all 5 stars.
If you like spicy, ask for very spicy bc the hot sauce can be weak if you dont adamantly assure them that you enjoy spicy.
We ordered (menu attached):
1. Pondicherry-- beautiful presentation, easy to eat, filled with potatoes and veggie ($6)
2. Rava Masala-- harder to eat bc the crepe is made of wheat and rice flour so you definitely need to eat with fork. Has peppers though which I think beats Pondicherry bc it adds more flavor. ($6)
3. Vegan Drumstick-- got this for kicks-- all soy protein-- would stick to the dosas, but is a nice appetizer if you really need one (2/ $3)
Cheapest lunch Ive had in a while, and Washington Square Park is newly renovated-- so grab a bench and enjoy the weather!
I can't believe it took me so long to discover and then come to this place! Its a real treat, and think this has a lot to do with Thiru, or the Dosa man. He is very welcoming to everyone, even the bums who were loitering around his cart. He takes care in his product, and its reflected in taste.
I got the Special Pondicherry extra spicy (it really wasn't very spicy though) which was a good size meal for the amount paid (only 6 bucks!). Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of potato in my dish, which might have made the meal more filling. Next time I'm going to go with the standard mansala dosa which seemed to have a lot more potatoes. Anyways, the veggies that come in the Pondicherry were not spectacular--just some lettuce and shaved carrots. I also had a bite of the samosa, which was excellent! I could definitely make a meal out of a couple of those.
I understand the hype. Its pricey in this area, especially for Indian food. I had their masala dosa it was okay. I figured now I am more of a samosa person. The dosa was tasty and soup that came with it was even better. I was not full though. The food here is for light eaters, sorry my days are long I need a power lunch, dosa guy. But I enjoyed your food nonetheless.
I give the dosa guy five stars because I admire his integrity--if only we can all find this kind of passion and joy in our jobs. (Which, sadly, is very rare.) Dosa man, you rock.
As for food...it's good! I come from the bay where my house is surrounded by Indian families who throw massive parties that lasts for three days, and compared to what I tried back at home, the food here is absolutely delicious. (Although I think my favorite Indian food place in the US would still be Punjabi Tandoor in San Diego...if anyone is there, that hole in the wall is EPIC.)
One thing though, I went there at 3pm and he was out of samosas...next time, I'm going at 2 to test my luck. =)
When I first tried to check out the Dosa cart, he wasn't there. Probably because some crazy fools were trying to shoot a movie at NYU right across the street from Washington Square park (with artificial rain machine included) and were taking up the entire street. It was kind of interesting to watch for a few minutes but I left slightly disappointed. That was about three months ago.
I came back today and boy, after eating the Dosa man's offerings I was pretty angry about not having been able to try out his fare sooner. From the looks of it, those guys were filming a useless, terrible movie (that probably will never be anywhere)! AGHH. But I digress...
I first got the samosas with green sauce and those were most definitely, hands down the best samosas I've ever had. Not greasy or oily at all, these babies were larger than I thought they would be and the filling tasted amazing. Along with the mint chutney, I didn't quite know if it would be worth trying any other samosas.
Got the masala dosa as well and the flavor of the spices, potato, veggies and my leftover mint chutney made for a fantastic finish. Needless to say, I was really full and I didn't eat anything for the rest of the day in fear of losing the magical flavors that still lingered on my taste buds.
Finally, the Dosa man is a real class act in his business. He treats everyone (and his food!) with respect and it's obvious that he loves his job.
Dosa man, you are a cool cat.
And a friendly mother*%&er too!
You just kept smiling and chatting while you carefully crafted my kick-ass dosa masala.
You kept flashing that shit-eatin' grin as I plowed into that crispy-yet-chewy crepe filled with expertly spiced potatoes and veggies.
And that zesty little tomato-based soup you serve. Oh! you are a cheeky fellow!
Long live the Dosa man!!!
Ordered a Masala Dosa and Veggie Roti. The food was not great! The potatoes in the masala dosa did not have enough salt. Dosa batter had not fermented and hence the Dosa tasted a little bland and flavorless. Important quality of Dosa is its crispiness and this one passed that test. The Roti was good and goes well as an appetizer. I also got a Sri Lankan ginger beer and I like the fact that he has over 40 types of Sodas (or so he claims!)
The line was not too long on the day we went (Friday Lunch). However Dosas generally seem to take a long time to make and "Dosa man" does take his time to ensure that the Dosas are properly made till they turn crispy.. This could be frustrating and you need to be prepared to wait.
One big problem I had was to watch him bump people in the line and I saw at least 2 or3 people get their Dosas before us even though they came way after us. I guess if you are a NYU regular he hooks you up.
Overall, I would say try it once and judge for yourself. For me, this was nowhere close to a good Dosa and was definitely not worth the wait. But it was not bad. If I go here next time, I may try the "Jaffna Lunch". It sounds very interesting
Seems like the Dosa Man is busier now that the new and improved Wash. Sq. Park has opened. The line (and the fact that he has only one cooking surface) is the only thing that keeps me away. My personal favorite is the mixed vegetable uttapam. $6 I think. But definitely try the pondicherry too. The snacks (samosa, drum stick..) are good if you'll be hungry after the main meal but I don't think they're as tasy as the fresh stuff.
I LOVE THE DOSA GUY!!!
I heard about him in the middle of last year and finally came here with a friend today. The dosa guy (ugh, should've asked for his actual name) is SO nice and friendly...I've never met ANY person who runs a food cart anywhere who was this friendly and cool -- he was telling us about how some of the recipes are his grandmother's (grandma's cooking always kicks ass), while some are his own, and he's been running this cart of his right here in Manhattan for about 8 years now. He's even had Rachael Ray come to his cart THREE times during her trip to New York for her traveling/food show (he says she's just as friendly in person as you'd think from her tv show).
So we shared the pondicherry dosa and the rotis.... he makes the crepes to order, and he encourages you to watch him as he makes them. He's very interactive -- he not only wants you to watch, but he tells you step by step, what he puts into the dosa batter, filling, etc., and then what order he puts everything in. I was in too much awe watching him make everything and put it all together that I could barely listen to him (also, I was busy snapping photos). These also come with different types of sauces, chutneys, and a little thing of spicy soup (or what we thought was soup).
In the end, for $15, we had this monster dosa stuffed with a potato curry filling and samosas, several vegetable roti (two types... again, I can't remember what they are called), and two drinks. Can we say affordable AND yum-o?
I wish I could come back here every week. LOVE this guy.
This guy is awesome. I think he is a Sri Lankan Tamil; my Tamil professor knew him. His dosas are super good and he is very sweet. It can be ridiculously slow because he's making fresh food in a very small cooking area. He came to Columbia one day and the line was possibly 100 people long. Worth a wait!
Amazing dosa. I don't even eat dosas much, not really my cup of tea, but the thing was amazing. I went when it wasn't busy at all so he took his time and made it nice, asked me my preferences, recommended a drink. It was a great experience, can't wait to do it again.
It's ok. After experiencing dosas in california, this place doesnt really come close. For a cart though, I'd give more stars. Food alone I'd give 3
Finger licking good. You might have to wait awhile but it's worth it. I've seen the line grow to about 20 people but the Dosa man handles it with great charm.
This vegan food cart makes impressive South Indian food at extremely low prices (everything costs $2-6).
They were out of the vegan drumstick when I went, which was disappointing, but I had a samosa ($1.75) and veg. roti ($2) instead. The samosa was delicious---it was lightly fried, with a medley of spices, but didn't feel greasy, oily or heavy like samosas at other snack food Indian joints. The veg. roti was pretty good, though it was basically just a bread roll filled with potato, and a bit blander than the samosa.
I didn't like how they served the items on a paper plate and allowed all the different sauces and chutneys to ooze together and mix into the main food. I like to have control over my sauces and chutneys.
The guy seems super-friendly and he's extremely efficient, though the lines can get unruly around the cart and he seemed to take other people's orders before mine. In the end, though, this is great, cheap South Indian food, which you don't find often.
dosa man dosa man dosa man dosa man
i love the dosa man
more dosas
now!
I'm tempted to give it four stars because of the long (sometimes very long) waits, but I just don't have the heart.
I love this stand. I lived across the street from it my freshman year, and I lamented that my room didn't overlook the park - not because of the trees, but because I wanted to know how long the line for this stand would be!
Dosa Man's masala dosa is one of the few things that I can eat on a regular basis without getting sick of it. The "chicken" drumsticks are great too, if a little pricey now with 2 for $3. And the SAUCES. Oh, the orgasmic sauces. I love ordering different appetizers and seeing how they mix with the sweet, green, and chili garlic sauces.
I know everyone else is all about the samosas, but my recommendation? Masala dosa + 2 drumsticks + 1 veggie roti (very spicy roll with potato and vegetables inside). Dip your masala dosa in the coconut chutney and you are on your way to HEAVEN!
Waited too long. Confusing ordering system. No line for samosas. 40 different kinds of drinks.
I think I've overdosed on Maoz falafel for my lunchtime fix, so I decided I'd finally try ol Kumar's lunchcart for a taste of South Indian. Plus I've been obsessed with South Indian food since I recently tried Tiffin Wallah.
Waited in line behind about 10 people because damnit--I was determined to try this guy's dosa. Finally my turn after about 15 minutes. I ordered a masala dosa (dosa stuffed with potatoes, without weird veggie mixture) and two samosas on the side. He whipped up everything really quickly--and the review pasted to the side of his cart that compares him to a dj tweaking knobs and spinning records with lightning-fast skills is spot-on. The guy is good at what he does.
Walked away to eat near the chess kings in the southwest corner of the square. More on them later. First, the dosa. The consistency was good, it was papery, crispy and just oily enough. But Kumar--what's wrong with your sambar? It was watery and rather bland. And the potatoes inside the dosa weren't anything to write home about. Now I know he can do tasty potatoes--they're inside his samosas. So why are the potatoes inside the dosa so bland? Could have been much better. The tasty coconut chutney was the dosa's only saving grace. (Tiffin Wallah does the same dish in such superlative fashion that it blows poor Kumar out of the water. And I'm not going to forgive him just because it's a cart--the two things I didn't like were the pre-made things that should taste even better with a little sitting time to mellow the flavors...vegetable/lentil stew and seasoned potatoes)
The samosas were excellent, if a little pricey at $1.75 each or two for $3. Both the tamarind and mint chutney accompanying the samosas were great too.
Now about those chessmen. This was the truly entertaining part of my lunch. Those guys are about the most vulgar characters I've ever had a chance to listen to. All talk of race and various sexual things, studded with enough expletives to give my mother a heart attack. Here are two of the most memorable quotes:
"Man that sh*% is like Barbie to the nth degree!"
"I love my great granddaddy. He told me they used to call 'em peckerwoods...that was before they invented cracker and whitey and all that."
Heartbreak in Washington Square Park.
Me, having just stood in line for a long time.
In my hands: a hot, delicious, extra spicy mixed vegetable uttampan with all of the accutriments.
Lentil soup, vegetable soup--- all ready for me to pour over my thick, steamy pancake wafting intoxicating spices. Salivate.
I run joyously to a bench to consume. I trip. My beautifully crafted six dollar lunch flies out of my hand. I manage not to do a face plant. People around me look at me sympathetically---- but that doesn't stop the (mind) tears.
Read the reviews. Wandered around the Washington Square against the rage of August's heat to finally find him. Was not disappointed.
This man clearly has standards: He threw out a tub of chopped raw veggies because he was concerned about the heat and did not want to risk spoilage. When I told him I wanted heaps and heaps of veg, almost unnatural amounts, he offered--as a token of compensation--a free "mock chicken" drumstick made of soy protein and sugar cane.
The dosa crepe was a real delight. Watching him make it was even better. He is so so so very nice to talk to; he has such a pleasant disposition.
Definitely recommend. Will come back again.
Is there anything better in the world than a nice man handing you a delicious meal in a box for like $5?
This cart is the epitome of New York street food. The food has maintained its quality since I started eating there about 5 years ago, and I don't think he's raised his prices at all. The dosas are perfect, the chutney is spicy, and I dream about his samosas.
I love you, Dosa Man!
I love street cart food as much as everybody else, but I thought the Dosa man was a little overrated. Cheap? Yes. Edible? Certainly. Worth a 15 minute wait? Not really.
I got the dosa with spiced potatoes, and it was too bland for me. It is however freshly made. The guys who run it are lovely. They serve a huge variety of drinks, from your normal soda to more "exotic" juices.
I love the concept of the dosa cart but I just can't say I was blown away by the food. I'd rather spend my 5 bucks on something else.
I'm from Atlanta, but I'd heard rave reviews for NY Dosas a long while back--news of NY Dosas has traveled far and wide. I visited my cousin in New York a few weekends ago, and once we found our way to Washington Square just before closing time on Halloween, we realized that all the praise was DEAD-ON.
As it was the end of the day, his offerings were slim--one dosa and some uthappam(s?) and samosas left. I let my cousin have the dosa and took the uthappam, which I normally don't like, but I really, really liked this--a great mix of soft bread and vegetables, with very few onions, just the way I like it. And the samosa--so I tend to judge Indian restaurants by their samosas, and his were great, better than many sit-down restaurants I've visited! As another reviewer said, the sambar was a bit watery, and I kind of wasn't able to tell apart the different chutneys, but who cares?
Dosas. Streetside homemade South Indian food. How can you possibly go wrong with that? It absolutely hit the spot, and I snapped a photo of the friendly dude and his awesome cart on our way out, weeping silent tears that the wonderful concept of streetside food carts hasn't really made its way to Atlanta yet. Until next time, Dosa Man.
Every time I look at Dosa Man I think of D-Day from Animal House (http://i15.photobucket...). Hes one of the coolest guys you'll meet. I'm almost sorry that the food is ready so quickly. The samosas are where its at...You've got to try the hot and the green sauce. It makes it 10x better if that's possible.
Bottom Line: Coolest guy you'll meet. This is a really tasty snack that is fast, cheap ($1.50) and filling.
visited Fri afternoon 5/30/08
What the hell is in that red sauce you give with the samosas? I swear the secret ingredient's gotta be crack. Soooo tasty. Samosas = yummy. Samosas with red sauce = omg, I'm in love with dosa man!
Pondicherry dosa was pretty good too. But the star was definitely the samosas...
Indian version of vegetable-stuffed crepes. Yuuuuuuuuummm. Friendly service too. Greeted by the dude and this very nice, gorgeous lady. Very refreshing for an outdoor treat! It doesn't get me full though... Thats why I'm inclined to order two the next time I come back
I grew up eating at the lone Indian restaurant in town on special occasions with my dad. Every time we tucked into their masala dosa he'd talk about how in the two years he spent traveling India as a 20-something this was the equivalent of a street vendor's hot dog. I never quite believed him, but let him keep telling the anecdote because he liked it so much.
Years later, walking to a (yawn) conference at NYU, what do I come across but a line of 20 people blocking the sidewalk next to the NY Dosas cart and the smell of my dad's stories wafting over to me.
It was a sign. Early registration and a good seat? Nope. The time for that had come and gone. It was time for me to get as close to my dad's story as I could. I waited on line (at 2:30pm, I can only imagine what it's like at noon) for almost half an hour, ordered, handed over my $5 and walked not 20 feet away to plop on the ground and enjoy.
The masala dosa (basic crispy crepe stuffed with potato and veggies) was awesome. Light, not overfilled, a little salty, a little spicy, and all around make-your-mouth-happy-good. When you add the totally not skimpy servings of coconut chutney and mulligatawny soup into the mix, you're golden. I got a samosa too (for a dollar how could I say no?) and the green sauce that came with it was complex and delish!
If I lived nearby I'd stand in line every day. As it is now, I'll make a pilgrimage there whenever I can. I love reasons to pilgrimage somewhere, especially when they end with my stuffing my face and licking my lips while sitting on a patch of grass. Glorious.
And the guy at the cart? Total sweetheart. That makes up for the wait, and 4 stars becomes 5.
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