Cheaper and less saturated in cream and butter than its Northern cousin, Southern Indian Food builds on the simple flavors of the ingredients, often vegetables only, revving them up with a wallop of direct chili heat.  Crepes are griddled and stuffed with fenugreek potatoes.  Chickpea dough is deep fried into soft pillowy doughnuts.  Onion and tomato pancakes are perfectly crisped and studded with fresh chilies.  On the side, sambar and various coconut sauces or relish come in a painter's palette of colors.  Unlike many dishes found in Northern Indian restaurants, the lentils and "curries" have a milder touch of spices.  Chutney lacks the sometimes overly saccharine and singlemindedly vinegar tang, but more than makes up for it with clear tomato punch.  Stews tend towards a more soupy texture rather than thick gravy.

Granted, the comparison between the two regions is a bit specious.  The rare Northern Indian restaurant accentuates the fresh flavor of a single ingredient while orchestrating a blend of spices and never makes the dishes chaotic or dumb them down, but the other 99% of the typical Northern Indian restaurants just have really heavy hands in all the pots. In my mind, Northern Indian food, depends on the complexities between flavors, richness, texture and ingredients, requiring a refined sense of balance from the kitchen.  Southern Indian cuisine is akin to the greatest of breakfast and snack foods - eat with your finger meals that are hearty, warming, rustic and deceptively easy.  Of course, none of this takes into account regional distinctions...

Tonight I went to Saravana Bhavan in Sunnyvale and had a cheese masala dosa with sambar and three sauces. We also had idly, those donuts, and a lacy wheat crepe. The various breads that come out of the kitchen are showstoppers. Look for the giant poof the size of a serving tray. The mango lassi is top notch - just thick enough, with a slight tang, and without that funky floral aroma or strange carbonation. Is it impolite to show leftovers on a blog?

Annapoorna in San Mateo offers a thali dinner if you want to try a variety of "stews" at once. This joint is much smaller than Saravana Bhavan and easier to get into, but the food just isn't as vibrant as the former.

Both are vegetarian only.