A dose of 'dosas'

Every morning at 8.30, one can see a number of youngsters on bikes riding through the muddy roads of Richmond Town. While those who are new to the area stop to enquire about this place, the regulars, without any hesitation, reach the destination which is Siddappa Hotel.

Situated amidst two peepul trees and serpent stones, Siddappa Hotel has been a haven for the gastronomers of the City for decades. The hotel does not have a nameplate or a fancy board but you can be rest assured that you have reached the right place when you find a stern, sturdy man with a thick moustache sitting on a granite slab. This man is Siddappa, who greets you as you enter and asks you to have breakfast.

You are not only hit by a wave of nostalgia as you are taken back in time, you are also made to feel at home as you are made to sit on the stools lined outside the kitchen and given a banana leaf placed on a newspaper. And then the wait begins!

Open from 8.30 am to 11.30 am, it was 32 years back that Siddappa and Rangamma started this place to make a living and take care of their five kids.

“My husband used to have a monkey, we used to earn our livelihood by displaying its tricks. But he fell ill and we had no other means of income. With nowhere to go, I started cooking and selling breakfast on a small scale. By God’s grace and our customers’ blessings, we have grown over the years. We are so happy to see the place so crowded, especially during the weekends,” says a teary-eyed Rangamma.

All the customers look forward to the ‘masala dosas’ here. However, in case of a delay, they are served the special rice items or ‘idlis’ until the ‘dosas’ are ready. Once the dosas are prepared, customers are served half a ‘dosa’ each, to speed up the process. Though customers get a generous serving of ‘chutney’ and ‘sagu’, they have to learn the art of balancing them all on the leaf plate as there are no tables around!

Normal ‘kali dosa’, ghee ‘kali dosa’, half or full plate ‘rice bath’, ‘idly’ and ‘masala dosa’, with a note – ‘masala dosa’ parcel not available — makes up for their humble menu.

A strongly determined lady, Rangamma’s only regret is a leg injury due to which she is unable to cook anymore. It is her son Vishwanath and daughter Tholasammaa who have taken on the responsibility of cooking now.

She says, “My son prepares the ‘dosas’ and daughter makes the rice items.” Ask her what is the secret ingredient behind the special taste and she says, “From chilli powder to butter, everything is homemade. We get butter from our village regularly and extract the ‘ghee’.” Customers can enjoy a generous dollop of this fresh ‘ghee’ on all the items.

Siddappa sits with two bowls — one for coins and the other for currency notes — in this small but clean place. He also asks the customers to give a list of items they ateand charges them accordingly for it. He says, “We are popular because of our customers and I sit here everyday. If they pay, I take it and if they don’t, I make a note of it.”