Dosa Man Bags 2007 Vendy Award
Thiru Kumar, Dosa Man of New York
All ye Indian food lovers in NYC...Heard the Big News?
The nice fella with the Dosa Cart at the Washington Square Park South (intersection of West 4th St & Sullivan St) has been honored with the 2007 Vendy Award on Saturday, September 29.
Edging out his competition in the form of Tacos, Falafel, Jerk Chicken and other assorted stuff, Thiru Kumar of NY Dosas popularly known as the Dosa Man of New York City took NYIndia Home the big prize this year.
Handed out annually for the best food from a street cart vendor in New York City, food lovers eagerly await the announcement of the Vendy award.
You'll realize how big the Vendy Award is when you consider that there are several thousand food cart vendors in New York City peddling all kinds of food.
From his humble Dosa cart at Washington Square Park South in downtown Manhattan, Thiru offers a variety of Dosas - Sadha Dosa, Rava Dosa, Masala Dosa, Uthappam and the hot favorite, Pondicherry Dosa.
For the Vendy Award competition this year, Thiru submitted the Pondicherry Dosa, his signature dish.
Made of lentils and rice and filled with potatoes and fresh vegetables, Thiru's Pondicherry Dosa is worthy of your attention and utmost respect. We can say that with authority because we've eaten the stuff. Believe us, it's just simply superb.
Not too greasy and not starved of oil/ghee, Thiru's Pondicherry Dosa is just delicious. Made fresh before your eyes, Thiru's delicious Dosas are offered in disposable containers with chutney and delicious sambar.
With his Veerapan mustache, Thiru is a friendly soul with a ready smile unlike the waiters at most Indian restaurants in New York who habitually wear a mourning look.
Thiru's Dosas tastes better than some of the Dosas at Indian restaurants in Manhattan like Madras Mahal, Saravanaas, Chennai and Pongal.
Veronica Julien from Veronica's Kitchen, Muhammed Rahman from Kwik Meal, Super Taco, aka 'sobre Ruedas' and Farez (Freddy) Zeideia, the King of Falafel and Shawarma were the other finalists for the Vendy's Award this year.
But in the end, it was the Dosa Man who impressed the judges enough to win the Big prize.
A Sri Lankan Tamil, Thiru came to the U.S. a few years back after winning the Green Card lottery.
Samiul Haque Noor from 'sammy's Halal', whose cart can be found at 73rd Street and Broadway in Jackson Heights (Queens) won the Vendy Award last year.