"God's gift to the gastric juices"

“God’s gift to the gastric juices”                                     31.3.2011

 Crisp and soft? Sounds an oxymoron.  But that is what the CTR Masala Dosa is.   Crisp on the outside, soft inside. The hot golden brown crust  with  the  soft interior,   packing  in the potato  stuffing (palya)   sans red garlic  chutney,  but coming with two different chutneys outside , green and white,   gives you  the experience of heavenly bliss.  Lip smacking, finger licking good, mouth watering-  expressions  bandied  about  loosely  elsewhere assume all seriousness at CTR.  The CTR butter (benne) masala dosa is all this, and much more.  In a poll conducted some time back, the CTR masala dosa was voted the best masala dosa in Bangalore. And rightly so.    For the staunchly loyal  clientele,    ranging from local cart pushing vegetable sellers to celebrities  to visiting NRIs,  visit to CTR is “an enterprise of great pith and moment”.  The pilgrims  await   their turn  with patience. . And finally  when the dosa arrives at the table, all else is forgotten. There is a sense of sadness and resignation  as the plate is getting empty,  except for those who decide to continue with a second one. Change is inevitable. The CTR is  now also  known as Sriraj, the décor has changed, melamine plates have replaced steel plates, the floor and wall are tiled, hand tissues have replaced old  newspapers. But the butter masala dosa remains unchanged. Same crispness, and softness, the same quality.   For  those Bangaloreans  who have not had exposure to the CTR dosa, education is incomplete