Shri Dosa Bhavan is an Indian restaurant that puts its speciality in the name. It sits on Great South Road in Papatoetoe, handy to the Work and Income office, holds a 4.9 rating from 194 Google reviews, and takes details and online orders through its website.
Dosa cooking turns on the batter: rice and lentils soaked and fermented, then cooked to order on a hot griddle so each one arrives crisp and steaming. That crispness fades fast, which is why regulars eat in rather than let a takeaway box do the damage. Sambar and coconut chutney come alongside, and menus typically run from plain paper dosas to filled masala versions, idli, uttapam and largely vegetarian thalis. Unpretentious and busy is the style; a full dining room at odd hours is usually a good sign.
Amid Papatoetoe's many Indian kitchens, this is the one built around the dosa — reason enough to be on Great South Road at mealtimes.