Udupi

The first thing we noticed when we walked in the door of this repurposed north-suburban Pannekoeken Huis was the inviting fragrance of spice and curry, just the thing to perk up our appetite after a logy post-Gophers game nap. There are more than 100 items on the menu, all South Indian vegetarian and many strictly vegan. The daily lunch buffet, with two dozen items, is a great way to sample a wide swath. If you’re a carnivore who thinks vegetarian food can’t be hearty or flavorful, a meal here will cure you of that misapprehension. Case in point: the mulligatawny soup, a rich broth that’s surprisingly robust. The menu includes many varieties of dosai, a rice/lentil crepe, and our tablemate had high praise for her house special, the cheese dosai with chickpeas. Our food was well complemented by a variety of sauces, and the coconut went especially well with the spicier fare. South Indian cuisine can be extremely fiery, and we decided to dive in for the hot version of the gobi manghuriani—marinated cauliflower sauteed in ginger, garlic, and chili. About a third of the way through, the top of our skull was on fire and our wimpy Nordic palate forced us to stop eating. But it was so tasty, we’re ordering it again next time—perhaps the mild version, washed down with a large bottle of Taj Mahal beer. 4920 Central Ave. N.E., Columbia Heights, 763-574-1113, www.udupicafemn.com