by MARK SLUTSKY

Generally, when going out for Indian, I tend to gravitate towards the Park-Ex neighbourhood, Jean-Talon and northwards, where most of my favourite Indian restaurants are—Bombay Mahal, Malhi Sweets, A1-Asean, all delicious and affordable options. But they don’t comprise the sum total of subcontinental eating in this city, and there are always surprises to be found in all corners of the island, especially when it comes to food from the southern part of the country, which is far more difficult to find here.

So it was greatly exciting when a reliable tipster let on about a place where a food fan might find a quality masala dosa in the city. The restaurant was first indicated to be in Laval, although that information was quickly rectified—Pierrefonds was the destination, specifically up on the 5000 block of Sources boulevard.

It’s always exciting to find a great restaurant in the last place you’d look for one, and with all due respect to the fine people of the West Island, I hadn’t exactly been cruising the Pierrefonds strip malls for eats. But maybe I should have been! Located next to a cop shop and a skate shop, Bombay Choupati is quiet and unassuming, nicely decorated but nothing fancy, and the highly friendly service provides all the atmosphere you need.

Everything at Bombay Choupati is homemade, down to the yogurt or the sweet tamarind sauce (in the latter case even going so far as to eschew starting with a pre-made paste). We started with a variety of appetizers rarely found on Montreal menus. The vegetable tiki ($4.50) consisted of a pair of fried, spicy vegetable and potato fritters (meat tikis are available as well, made with minced goat), served with that aforementioned tamarind sauce, as well as a brilliantly spicy green sauce, the hotness of which didn’t mask its strong pepper taste. The idli sambar ($3.95) were two delicious, round, steamed semolina patties—looking a bit like a pair of flying saucers—served in a dish of sambar, a lentil- and tamarind-based dal or soup.

Sambar was also served with the masala dosa ($4.95), the promise of which was what led us out to Bombay Choupati in the first place. If you’ve never tasted the stuff—or more importantly, if you have—you should hie thyself hence to Sources boulevard at the first available opportunity. Dosas are essentially large, thin, crepe-like rice pancakes, and the “masala” appellation is affixed when they’re folded and a spiced potato and onion filling is added. It’s sort of, but not quite, like a lighter, fluffier burrito or roti. And the masala dosas at Bombay Choupati are perfect, crisp and airy and delicious. If you’ve got a taste for the spicy, you’d be well-advised to try the fire dosa ($5.95), layered with hot peppers and with the filling cooked in green chilis.

On the somewhat milder end of the flavour spectrum is the fruit chat ($4.95), puffed rice wafers served garnished with yogurt, chickpeas, tomato and fruity chutney, served cold. Sweet and savoury, light and crunchy, the chat contained multitudes.

The focus is definitely on the vegetarian at Bombay Choupati (the staff themselves mostly don’t eat meat), but we tried the butter chicken ($8.95) regardless. A deep mustard colour (as opposed to the dish’s more common orange) and a rich, nutty flavour made this creamy dish a real standout, all the more amazing knowing the chef’s culinary inclinations—this may compete with Malhi Sweets’ version of the dish as my citywide favourite. Should I ever institute a Municipal Butter Chicken Pageant and Cook-Off, things will definitely get interesting.

Can’t fail to mention the breads, either—the naan ($1.50) is fresh, hot, practically luminescent with butter and should definitely not be missed. Nor should anything else, really, at this sweet, amazing restaurant, well worth a trip regardless of where you live.

TIPS? QUESTIONS? COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF? E-mail eattothebeat@gmail.com

Bombay Choupati
ADDRESS: 5011 des Sources, Pierrefonds
PHONE: 421-3130
HOURS: Tue–Sun noon–10 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: There’s almost nothing that isn’t
“best” about this place, but forced to
choose, I’d go with the classic masala dosa
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes (but no Interac)
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $7–$15 per person, before tax and tip
RATING: *** and a 1/2 out of ****