And what we've found is that dining in San Rafael is surprisingly underrated. To date, we've found three really good restaurants there ... so good that if they were in the City, we'd never be able to eat at them because the lines would be too long. Our previous standbys were Sol Food (brilliant and inexpensive Puerto Rican food) and Lotus (really good Punjabi Indian food, with some original paneer dishes). Last night, on our way to hear The Chieftans, we found fantastic South Indian food, so good we were almost late for the concert!

That restaurant was Om South Indian Cuisine. Tucked into a tiny storefront near the end of the commercial part of 4th street (past the French Bakery), you could easily miss it if you didn't find it on Yelp. We plopped down with two hours to eat, and needed it. From our server, whom I suspect was the owner, we ordered from the extensive menu of South Indian griddle breads, getting a paper dosa, a ghee rava dosa, as well as rasam and thayir vedai for appetizers. I also ordered a Flying Horse beer, which turned out to be actually imported from India and not from Canada the way most "Indian" beer is here. We actually tried to order more to sample everything, but our host cautioned us that it was way too much food. Boy, was he right!

From the thayir vedai, we knew we were in good shape. These delicate lentil dumplings came swimming in perfectly seasoned house-made yogurt. The rasam (soup) was well-balanced and mild. Then came the paper dosa, and time for me to really regret not having brought my camera.

The rolled-up, brown crispy thin dosa was literally a meter in diameter. Rolled up, it was longer than the table and they had to hold back our other dosa until we finished it. Or, rather, it finished us; there was no way we were going to eat the whole thing. With the chutneys (the usual fresh coconut and tomato) as well as the sambar and masala curry (potato, onion and mustard), we got our hands greasy and our mouths full. And this meal-for-two entree was only $9!

Once we convinced our server that we were unable to eat any more of the delicious paper dosa, they brought the ghee rava dosa, which was a rava (semolina flour) dosa made with chunks of cold ghee in it so that post-frying it had a texture like crispy lace and a flavor like brown butter with spices. We ate this one pretty much unadorned; it was great without any chutney or sambar at all.

I then started chatting with the owner about my own difficulties in making dosas, especially paper dosa. He offered to take me back to the kitchen and have me watch how they made one, an opportunity I eagerly seized. His South Indian chef then went one better than that ... he had me make a small dosa on my own, on their huge griddle.

Now having a much better idea of correct batter consistency and technique, I think I can try dosas at home again.

So, next time you're in San Rafael, continue heading down to 4th & E Street and get yourself some delicious, economical and authentic dosas.

Om South Indian Cuisine
1518 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA
415-458-1779