Simply South by Taste of Bhagwati

Simply South by Taste of Bhagwati is a South Indian vegetarian restaurant on Ghod Dod Road in Surat, Gujarat, in the Athwa and Ghod Dod part of the city's southern side. Surat's food culture leans toward sweet Gujarati cooking, farsan and street snacks, and South Indian restaurants offer a savoury, lightly spiced change from that pattern, which is why such places are well used by local families as well as visitors. The menu follows the standard South Indian restaurant format: dosa in many forms, idli with sambar and coconut chutney, uttapam topped with onion, tomato or vegetables, medu vada, and rice plates with sambar and rasam, along with filter coffee in many places of this type. Dosa, idli sambar and uttapam are the named staples, and the restaurant is known for them as the standard orders. Dosas arrive crisp and large, often served with a potato masala filling, a bowl of sambar and two or three chutneys, and visitors usually share or order one each as a light meal. The dining room is a bright, simple family restaurant with a casual, clean and quick-turnover feel, steel plates or banana-leaf style presentation, and a moderate noise level that rises at weekend evenings. There is no dress code. Beverages are tea, coffee, buttermilk and fresh juices, and the place is fully vegetarian with no alcohol. Prices are low to moderate, around INR 200-450 per person for a full meal, which makes it good value. It is a walk-in restaurant and reservations are not normally needed, except possibly for large groups. Hours are lunch and dinner daily, so confirm on arrival. Ghod Dod Road is a major arterial road lined with shops, cafes and sports grounds, and the restaurant is easy to reach by auto-rickshaw or ride-hailing from the city centre.