Masala dosa from Vik’s Chaat

There will be moments, even years, when I forget about Vik’s Chaat. But then I suddenly remember the giant, crispy, thin masala dosa, and a temporarily dormant craving returns.

It’s hard to find a place in the East Bay that has chaat — the spicy, fun, Indian street snacks. I remember poking the garbanzo bean-filled pani puris and watching cholle bhature puff up as a cook fried it. Eating at Vik’s is a hands-on, visceral experience.

As an undergrad at Cal in the late 90s, Vik’s was one of the “must visit” spots. At the time, it was about 10 years old – Vik’s Chaat opened in 1989 as a small food counter in Vik’s Market, which itself opened in 1987. Back then, it was in a warehouse. In 2009, Vik’s moved to a bigger location in West Berkeley, complete with bright pink and orange painted walls on the outside.

My first time ever trying a dosa was at Vik’s. While many people like the chaat dishes, my go-to is still the humble dosa.

To get to said dosa, you can line up in front of their counter and order (behind the glass case are many desserts), or walk through the other entrance where you meander through a well-stocked Indian marketplace that has a ton of spices, bagged lentils, and fresh produce. You then arrive in a cavernous area, where you line up to order.

The inside is a large cafeteria-style, sit-down place with an open kitchen. The divine dosa is delivered on a stainless steel tray. On a recent visit, I remembered why Vik’s still pops up as a food memory. The dosa batter was perfectly cooked, thin with a bit of crisp, one side hovering over the edge of the tray. The inside was filled to the max with spiced potatoes. I could not get enough of the thin crepe with its slightly fermented taste.

Vik’s has raised its prices over the years. However, at $13 now for a plain dosa with sambar that has vegetables, and two raitas and chutney, it is a full meal.

In 2005, I went to South India to visit my friend who was living in Bangalore for a year. My first meal there was a masala dosa. The dosa was cavernous, with a small scoop of potatoes inside. I remember peeking through the dosa tunnel and taking a photo of the inside (I thought I was being artsy and creative).

On my recent visit to Vik’s, I thought about saving a portion to-go, but decided to have it all. There’s nothing quite like the joy of devouring the mighty dosa in one sitting, surrounded by the din of hungry diners. Many of Vik’s dishes pack a big wow factor that grabs your attention reminding you why it’s an institution that’s lasted more than three decades.

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