Southern Spice Secret

So you’re out west and suddenly develop a hankering for a fresh crispy masala dosai. Or you’re craving a breakfast poori that tastes like you bought it from a guy on Platform 18 at New Dehli Station as you rushed to board the Kerala Express? If you find yourself in this condition and you don’t mind popping into a café that has slightly less ambience than your local laundromat, then I’ll let you in on a secret.

Situated in a prime location across from a multi-colour-flag used car dealership and next to Pizza Hut on busy Gordon Street Footscray, Southern Spice may well sate your desires. Even though their address is listed as Ballarat Road, you enter off Gordon Street, there is a carpark behind the little group of shops or you can catch the number 82 tram. Here is a Google Street View.

The food is cheap (Entrees $2.00-$4.00 Mains $4.00-$7.00) and delicious. When we used to live near this place and I loved dragging Mi here as often as I could. We even convinced many friends to come with us. And while they were initially dubious, they were instant converts after the first mouthful.

The masala dosai comes with the usual spiced potato and ghee filling and the poori is served with a delicious light dal. They also have great lassis and there a plenty more vegetarian and vegan choices on the menu.

I'll have to go back there and get some photos for you, but in the mean time, why not check it out for yourself?

Thali Time

Oh joy! 

Bismi are now doing an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet from Mon-Wed with around 25 choices including dosai, roti, dhal and several vegetarian (8+) and non-veg curries. 

For $11.90 it is great value but it certainly won't be good for my waistline. I'm going back tomorrow!

Bismi has without a doubt the best masala dosai in Melbourne - crisp, paper thin and very very tasty. I've been enjoying them for around 4 years now and I think they might even be getting better. 

Their roti and thali dishes are great too. I can't comment on the biryani or meat dishes - never made it past my staples. 

I think they might have recently turned down the music (at least when I was there) and it's possible they have even have given it a clean! 

I would probably still frequent this place even if it was the grottiest in Melbourne - the food is that good.