Okay, so I decided to try out a spot the other day. Heard about this place, Chili’s South Indian Cuisine, up on University Way Northeast in Seattle, near the university. I was in the mood for something different, you know?
Finding it wasn’t too bad. University Way has a lot going on, lots of little shops and restaurants all lined up. Chili’s is just one of them, pretty easy to walk past if you’re not looking, but I found it okay.
Walking In
So I pushed the door open and went inside. First thing, it smelled really good. Lots of spices, like curry and stuff cooking. The place itself? Pretty basic. Not a fancy sit-down restaurant with tablecloths or anything. More like a casual, neighborhood joint. It wasn’t packed, which I liked. Found a table easily.
Ordering Up
I grabbed a menu and looked it over. They had a bunch of South Indian dishes. Things like dosas, idlis, vadas, biryanis. Stuff you don’t see everywhere.
- I thought about getting a biryani.
- Then maybe some idli, those steamed rice cakes.
- But I really felt like a dosa.
So, I went with the Masala Dosa. Can’t go wrong with that, right? And I added an order of Sambar Vada too, just to try something extra. Went up to the counter, placed my order. Pretty straightforward process.
The Food Experience
Didn’t wait too long. They brought the food out to my table. Man, that dosa was big! Took up most of the plate. It looked nice and crispy on the outside.
I tore off a piece. Yep, crispy edge, softer as you get towards the middle. The potato filling inside, the masala part, was really flavorful. Had a nice spice level, not burn-your-mouth hot, but you could taste the spices. It came with sambar, that lentil soup stuff, and a couple of chutneys. Dipped the dosa in the sambar, really good combination.
The Sambar Vada was alright too. The vada, like a savory donut thing, was sitting in a bowl of sambar. It soaked up the flavor well. It was dense, filling.
Just Chilling
So I just sat there, ate my food. Watched other folks come in, mostly younger people, probably students. The vibe was relaxed. Nobody rushing you. Felt kind of authentic, like a real everyday place to eat, not some polished chain.
Heading Out
Finished everything up. I was definitely full. The portion size for the dosa was generous. Cleaned up my table a bit, then headed back out. It was a pretty satisfying lunch, honestly.
Overall, yeah, I liked Chili’s. If you’re looking for actual South Indian flavors and you’re near the U-District, it’s a solid choice. Don’t expect anything fancy, just straightforward food that tastes good. I’d probably stop by again if I was around there.
