Bit of long shot this - but does anyone know of anywhere in Sheffield that does Southern Indian food - Masala Dosas, Thalis etc?

Virtually all the curry places in Shef are Pakistani or Bangladeshi run & do UK curry/northern indian food. I could really do with a decent masala dosa - but dont want to have to travel to Manchester or Leicester to get one!

any ideas?

I was only saying yesterday that its a shame Sheffield doesn't have a dosa and thali restaurant.I bet one would do well on London Rd to add to the international flavour.We went to Noodle Inn last night and had the vegi set meal which was really nice £9.50 each and we couldn't finish it all.But its S indian food that i really love so i hope there is one in Sheffield that i've just not come across.

Bit of long shot this - but does anyone know of anywhere in Sheffield that does Southern Indian food - Masala Dosas, Thalis etc?

Virtually all the curry places in Shef are Pakistani or Bangladeshi run & do UK curry/northern indian food. I could really do with a decent masala dosa - but dont want to have to travel to Manchester or Leicester to get one!

any ideas?

I've never heard of those dishes ever, tbh. Give me authenticity, any day. I'd welcome such changes in the restaurant industry.

I remember having this chat about 'Indian' curry houses with a student from India before. He did say that majority of curry houses are ran by people from Pakistani/Bangladeshi origin. It's also to do with the caste system too. You would not find many Indian running 'Indian' restaurants in the UK. It is just not a done thing.

I wasn't aware that Manchester's curry mile do those dishes either. I would imagine that there's more choices in cities like Bradford, which I thought is closer to Sheffield than Leicester. If u find one that serves those dishes, let me know ! :D

I've never heard of those dishes ever, tbh. Give me authenticity, any day. I'd welcome such changes in the restaurant industry.

I remember having this chat about 'Indian' curry houses with a student from India before. He did say that majority of curry houses are ran by people from Pakistani/Bangladeshi origin. It's also to do with the caste system too. You would not find many Indian running 'Indian' restaurants in the UK. It is just not a done thing.

I wasn't aware that Manchester's curry mile do those dishes either. I would imagine that there's more choices in cities like Bradford, which I thought is closer to Sheffield than Leicester. If u find one that serves those dishes, let me know ! :D

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not sure its really to do with authenticity as southern Indian food is quite different to northern food.

I'm also a bit dubious about the caste system explanation as there are Indian places where lots of Indians live - there are quite a few southern Indian & Gujarati run places in Leicester, and at least one in Rushholme (The Indian Sweet Centre??? its been long time since I've been there) but in the North of the Uk it was mainly Pakistanis who settled.

ah well - looks like I'm no closer to getting a good masala dosa locally...

I'm intrigued now by what you said.

I'm not sure its really to do with authenticity as southern Indian food is quite different to northern food.
I should clarify. From that convo I had with my Indian friend, we've concluded that, what is known as 'Indian' food or curry houses, are actually of a Pakistani or Bangledeshi origin. Dishes like 'chicken tikka masala' are not what people cook at home in India. It's a varied and adopted recipe created in Britain. I've come to realise that there is an awful lot of 'adapted' recipes for the British palate, and isn't what you would get if you visit the country where it's supposed to be from.

With regards to the caste system, it's a system whereby you don't marry someone from a diff caste. Maybe I'm confusing issues here. Anyway, what I wanted to point out is that, my friend said that majority of Indian people, would not run restaurant businesses abroad, cos it is below them in some ways. Therefore you will find less authentic Indian, Indian restaurant. If that makes sense. All he said was that, if he didn't choose certain occupations, his parents would shoot him anyway ! But I said that surely there is a market for authentic Indian dishes. It is a good business prospects, but these type of restaurants are quite rare.

I'd imagine 'Masala Dosas' and 'Thalis' are definitely of Indian origin. Most ppl call your typical Pakistani curry house as 'Indian' when it isn't the case.

Indian & Gujarati run places in Leicester, and at least one in Rushholme (The Indian Sweet Centre???
Definitely gonna look out for this place now ! I've been in Manchester for 4 years and frequented Rusholme a lot, and never realised this distinction in curries. I know there is a high population of people from Indian descent living in Leicester, maybe this explains why there would be Southern Indian curry houses ? I recall my next door neighbour moving there.

If you're looking for a real Indian restaurant run by an Indian check out Nirmals on West Street. It's fantastic :) But she is a Northern Indian. It's fantastic food though, the best Indian in Sheffield. Her cooking is out of this world...

If you're looking for a real Indian restaurant run by an Indian check out Nirmals on West Street. It's fantastic :) But she is a Northern Indian. It's fantastic food though, the best Indian in Sheffield. Her cooking is out of this world...

Nirmals is ok - but not as good as it thinks it is...

And you always get pestered to order the most expensive dishes..

Nirmals is ok - but not as good as it thinks it is...

And you always get pestered to order the most expensive dishes..

I never get pestered to order the most expensive dishes, and she often tells me if I'm ordering too much and won't let me order more than she thinks I can handle. She'll be the first to admit that her style isn't for everybody. She can be a bit pushy and a bit in your face. But that's one of the reasons I love the place so much. It's obviously not always going to be everybodies cup of tea, but it's nice to go to an Indian that cares about their food and their customers and actually puts thought and effort into their enjoyment.

So many Indian places let you order what you want, but I always find at Nirmals that if i try to order something that won't go with my main dish, then she'll suggest something else and it's nearly always spot on. I really can't fault the place, but then like everywhere there's always going to be people whom it doesn't suit.

Where is Nirmals then ?
Does this place have the 'masala dosa' as mentioned ?
I'm curious to find a place that serves this now ! :D

Yum yum, I love masala dosa, in fact most south indian veggie dishes are lovely. I will be visiting a "South Indian" restaurant in london next week (quite new), I'm looking forward to the experience even though my mum can make anything at home.

To be honest I would never set foot in a normal "Indian" restaurant. Pretty much everything they cook is absolutely nothing like what I cook myself or what I get at my parents. :gag: :gag:

Where is Nirmals then ?
Does this place have the 'masala dosa' as mentioned ?
I'm curious to find a place that serves this now ! :D

Nirmals is on corner of west st/devonshire st - its quite unusual for Sheffield, as has been said, its run by the well known Mrs Nirmal who is Indian (think she is from Delhi??). It does north Indian food and, to be fair, is a cut above most other curry places in Sheffield - but no, you wont find any masa dosas in there...

Probably of no help, but my wife makes awesome masala dosa (paper thin - yum!)

She also makes fantastic idli and sambar...

... gonna call her now and see if she fancies making them for tea tonight.

Yum yum, I love masala dosa, in fact most south indian veggie dishes are lovely. I will be visiting a "South Indian" restaurant in london next week (quite new), I'm looking forward to the experience even though my mum can make anything at home.

To be honest I would never set foot in a normal "Indian" restaurant. Pretty much everything they cook is absolutely nothing like what I cook myself or what I get at my parents. :gag: :gag:

Where is this restaurant spicey?

Where is this restaurant spicey?

Uxbridge, can't remember what it's called though!

Bit of long shot this - but does anyone know of anywhere in Sheffield that does Southern Indian food - Masala Dosas, Thalis etc?


I can think of a few places that do a Madras.

Bit of long shot this - but does anyone know of anywhere in Sheffield that does Southern Indian food - Masala Dosas, Thalis etc?

Virtually all the curry places in Shef are Pakistani or Bangladeshi run & do UK curry/northern indian food. I could really do with a decent masala dosa - but dont want to have to travel to Manchester or Leicester to get one!

any ideas?

new south indian/srilankan place is opened at 227, abbeydale road, sheffield. It's fantastic. I have tried it several times.

I never get pestered to order the most expensive dishes, and she often tells me if I'm ordering too much and won't let me order more than she thinks I can handle. She'll be the first to admit that her style isn't for everybody. She can be a bit pushy and a bit in your face. But that's one of the reasons I love the place so much. It's obviously not always going to be everybodies cup of tea, but it's nice to go to an Indian that cares about their food and their customers and actually puts thought and effort into their enjoyment.

So many Indian places let you order what you want, but I always find at Nirmals that if i try to order something that won't go with my main dish, then she'll suggest something else and it's nearly always spot on. I really can't fault the place, but then like everywhere there's always going to be people whom it doesn't suit.


Does she still have the newspaper cuttings framed on the wall of when Nirmal's won entry to the Good Food Guide - in 1987 or something?

That should tell you all you need to know about Nirmal's. It was good, very good, once. But that's a long time ago. She got more and more expensive and more and more intrusive.

I used to go a lot at one time - in fact, I used to entertain a lot of clients there. But not just me, but also my clients thought the same - that the food was nowhere near as good as it used to be and it was bloody horrendously expensive (and a lot of the dishes aren't priced up).

Anyhow, she's got so much more competition now with Aagrah's, Cafe Guru, Aroma and Akbars that there's no reason to go to Nirmal's anymore.

new south indian/srilankan place is opened at 227, abbeydale road, sheffield. It's fantastic. I have tried it several times.

Oh dear! I was getting all excited for a moment when you started out saying that a new South Indian restaurant had opened on Ecclesall road. And then I saw the next bit "/ sri lankan". So, what is it my friend? South Indian cuisine or Sri Lankan? They are different countries altogether, albeit in rough proximity to each other. It sounds like you are not sure?

I suppose it could be both, although that would be mighty unusual considering neither have been in this city before. I sincerely hope you are right and if so I'll be down there in a shot.

South Indian cuisine is quite different to your typical Pakistani/Bangladeshi fare. You won't find "chicken tikka masala" and "meat korma/dopiaza/madras/vindaloo" on the menu in an authentic South Indian restaurant. You will find rice pancakes, masala dosa, stuffed with spiced vegetables and served with dips.

I will go to this place you recommend and try and order a masala dosa. If they don't serve that then it isn't a South Indian restaurant that's for sure.

There's a thread about it here

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=316688

Oh dear! I was getting all excited for a moment when you started out saying that a new South Indian restaurant had opened on Ecclesall road. And then I saw the next bit "/ sri lankan". So, what is it my friend? South Indian cuisine or Sri Lankan? They are different countries altogether, albeit in rough proximity to each other. It sounds like you are not sure?


South Indian and North Sri Lankan = Tamil. I think you will find it's all one cuisine.

Oh dear! I was getting all excited for a moment when you started out saying that a new South Indian restaurant had opened on Ecclesall road. And then I saw the next bit "/ sri lankan". So, what is it my friend? South Indian cuisine or Sri Lankan? They are different countries altogether, albeit in rough proximity to each other. It sounds like you are not sure?

I suppose it could be both, although that would be mighty unusual considering neither have been in this city before. I sincerely hope you are right and if so I'll be down there in a shot.

South Indian cuisine is quite different to your typical Pakistani/Bangladeshi fare. You won't find "chicken tikka masala" and "meat korma/dopiaza/madras/vindaloo" on the menu in an authentic South Indian restaurant. You will find rice pancakes, masala dosa, stuffed with spiced vegetables and served with dips.

I will go to this place you recommend and try and order a masala dosa. If they don't serve that then it isn't a South Indian restaurant that's for sure.

you will get dosa, idly, vada and other south indian dishes.. there are some srilankan dishes as well.. like Kothu Roti, Pittu etc..(these are also made in Kerala state)

I just nipped in to get a menu. The guy was very friendly and insisted that I try some. They don`t do delivery yet but the menu looks good and reasonable too! :)