It can be a nuisance driving halfway across a far-flung city to run an errand. But such journeys, especially to industrial districts, can sometimes serendipitously lead past intriguing strip-mall eateries you’ve never heard of.

Such was definitely the case when I ventured into Calgary’s northeast recently to get a tent repaired. A block away was a sandwich board advertising a place, Chennai Dosai, offering South Indian cuisine.

When I asked my server what constituted South Indian food, she said it featured dosai (also known as dosa), a thin crepe from a fermented batter primarily made from lentils and rice. Chennai is definitely the place to sample dosai, with some 20 such items on the menu, including masala and mysore.

I opted for a Chennai delight dosa, featuring stuffed masala, corn, mushrooms and other vegetables. It certainly was a bountiful delight, with some six chunks of silky dosa, plus a soup and two containers of dips, a two-meal deal for $13.

Chennai also lures in the locals with daily specials such as a butter chicken wrap ($9) and a breakfast masala scrambled wrap ($8).

Indeed, I may well head back, when I go pick up my tent.

Chennai Dosai
702 41 Avenue NE, Calgary
Monday to Saturday 10 am-3 pm. Closed Sunday
403-509-9186