Dosa Darlings has begun running a ‘Bollywood Brunch’ over the weekends, and we were kindly invited down for the first service. Located on Cowley Road, they are all about South Indian food, from curries to Dosas.
For the Bollywood Brunch, there are a few options available, and I had the ‘Little Darlings’ package, which is £30 and includes 2 drinks (there is wine, beer, and soft drinks available- see below for the full menu), 3 choices from the starters selection, 1 main, and two sides per person.
There was a good vibe inside, with the music playing to add to the Bollywood brunch theme. I would start by saying that this wasn’t really brunch, it’s a set lunch menu that’s run over the weekend!
We both had chai to start and then mango juice. Enjoyed the chai; it tasted fresh and came with Parle G biscuits, which always hit the spot (if you haven’t tried them, you need to)!
Let’s talk about the starters
Since we could, we tried each one available. You get a mini portion of your three choices, served with two sauces. There was a coconut one, chilli sauce, and a sort of tamarind with the green chutney in the middle across both our plates.
Our favourites were the Chilli Chicken and the Mutton Roll. I would say that nothing blew us away, but there was a great combination of flavours, and we enjoyed trying a variety of things.
Moving swiftly on to the mains
We went for the Butter Chicken (a no-brainer), Prawn Moilee, Rice, Malabar Parotta, Masala Potatoes, and the Plain Dosa.
The highlight was the Butter Chicken and the Masala Potatoes. Incredible flavours across both, and the curry itself hit the spot. The Prawn Moilee really wasn’t for us, the flavours didn’t sit quite right, and the curry was too watery- expected it to be a bit thicker/creamier.
Overall thoughts
My main drawback from this experience was how long the food took to come. There was about an hour wait for the starters, then another hour wait for the mains to come, and honestly, this was far too long. I did share this with the team, but, unfortunately, it affected our appetites in the end.
The interiors have a clean yet rustic feel. Given the amount of food you get for the set price, plus having drinks included, it’s good value for money. The Butter Chicken and Masala Potatoes were the standouts, along with the chai.
Dosa Darlings
56-60 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1JB
Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own
I’ve never been wowed by DD, especially when there’s some great indian food in Oxford. I’d much rather go to Tribe or Coconut Tree on Cowley Rd, or Permit Room and Dosa Park in the centre. The place is so pretty, and the cocktails are nice, but it feels very style-over-substance.