Udupi Palace, San Francisco

While excellent Indian food is never hard to come by, Udupi Palace is both so consistently terrific, and differs so strongly from what’s expected, that it almost feels like another cuisine altogether. Perhaps that’s because Udupi leans towards the vegetarian South Indian side of things, emphasizing dosas, uthapams and idli, instead of the butter chicken and goat curries that might be found elsewhere. There’s not much to look at inside this bare-bones eatery, and don’t expect to pay with a credit card (they only accept cash), but Udupi does just fine with folks who don’t need ambiance to enjoy a meal. The hefty two-foot dosas, served on a metal tray, have earned a friendly rivalry with other Indian restaurants nearby, though many of Udupi’s other harder-to-find South Indian dishes are unparalleled. Never have lowly rice and lentils merited such a cult following.