Udupi Cafe

Indian food can be found all over large metropolitan areas, but finding good Indian food can be a little bit trickier. Udupi Cafe (pronounced Oo-da-pee), located in Tempe off of Scottsdale Road (almost to where it turns into Rural), is a gem in a relatively common and industrial neighborhood. It’s unique because it is all vegetarian (80% is vegan), which is not typical of your usual Indian restaurant. Instead of mourning great dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala, Udupi embraces vegetarianism and creates wildly interesting and unique — and delicious — dishes.

One of my favorite dishes is the Gobi Manchurian, which is a fried cauliflower in a spicy and tangy sweet and sour sauce. There is also a wonderful selection of dosai (crepes); Udupi creates a dosai by using what is a traditional crepe batter, but on the inside, there is mixtures of spicy spinach, or savory potatoes and peas. They also have a great selection of breads. Each bread is different in texture, taste, and size. Our favorite bread is pretty large and has almost a soft pita texture to it. They also have wonderful and tangy curries, my favorite of which is the special vegetarian curry. Another great dish is an eggplant favorite of mine, the Baigan Bartha (also a vegan dish).

Every dish comes with rice, and even though I usually skip rice at restaurants because I’m not a big fan of rice to begin with, I always eat all of the rice at Udupi because the food is very spicy. Spicy in a good way — the spice does keep well in leftovers, as well. In addition to rice, the dishes come with various dipping sauces, such as a spicy plum sauce and a almost coconut concoction — my favorite dipping sauce is a yogurt sauce that contrasts with the spices of the food in a very natural way.

The atmosphere is very casual; they do not have a liquor license but do make an excellent lassi. It’s definitely a family kind of place, whenever I go we are usually one of the only parties of caucasian individuals, which is a good signal to a authentic place. The waitstaff is very nice and come to recognize you if you come a lot. Also, be sure to grab some of the anise rock candy on your way out — it’s a great way to end a spicy dinner. Overall, this place is a family favorite and highly recommended.

The Ranking (for explanation, see “Review Key”):

Food: 3 Straws (Always something new to try, and always good favorites).

Price: $traws (Approximately $15 for appetizer, entree, and soda).

Atmosphere: Casual and welcoming (but very noisy during brunch).

Overall: Three Straws (For its unique approach to food and ability to always get a table and get great service).

The Details:

Website: http://udupicafeaz.com/

Location: 1636 N Scottsdale Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281 (1/2 block South of McKellips and Scottsdale Rd. North of Hancock Ave & Scottsdale Rd.).

Phone: (480) 994-8787

Reservation: No need, accepts walk-ins.

Hours:

Sunday- Thursday (closed Tuesday) : 11:00AM-3:00PM Buffet, 5:00PM-9:30PM Dinner

Friday & Saturday: 11:00AM-3:00PM Buffet, 5:00PM-10:00PM Dinner