Om - South Indian, Novato

1518 Fourth Street, San Rafael CA 94901
(415) 458-1779
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 9:30pm
http://www.omcuisine.net/

Last Visited: August 19, 2009
Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Nimish first suggested that I try Om to get a sampling of south Indian cuisine which he explained differs quite a lot from north Indian food which is what we typically find here in Northern California. With his hearty suggestion, I went to try Om's lunch buffet for $8.99 which offered a variety of dishes and included a choice of masala dosa or chapathi.

What I really loved about Om was their website. It was so informative and educational, but since my visit, they have changed the site. I even called at the beginning of 2010 to ask about their webpage and was told that it was being worked on, but the best part is gone.

Driving by, it might be easy to miss the restaurant entirely unless you know that it's there. The signs are inconspicuous. If you like dosas and uthappam, you'll like their selection - they offer more than ten dosas and at least seven uthappam. If you're unfamiliar with dosas, they are made with a batter fermented overnight and cooked like a crepe. An uthappam is like a dosa, but thicker and softer. Both are served with sambar and chutneys.

Their buffet offers about eight to ten hot dishes as well as some other items. Today's visit included chicken drummettes, rice, a dosa and some other good finds. Enter the restaurant and find that the raised dining area on the right and a floor level dining area in front of the entranceway. The buffet is set up in the rear of the restaurant. Each table is covered with a tablecloth and glass is placed on top. During lunch, paper napkins and paper placemats were presented on the table. In large chafing dishes, unlike traditional steam tables that you would find at neighboring Indian buffets, you'll see a variety of well-labeled offerings.

While Nimish got a plain dosa, he recommended a masala dosa to me which meant this thin cylindrical golden brown crepe that was crunchy on the edges and softer within contained a filling with mashed potato like consistency. The potato mixture contained onions and was mildly spiced with masala.

I also had a chance to try some chicken that had been cooked in a thick curry sauce; rassam, a soup that was sour in taste; dal; my first coconut chutney and more. Without their website, I'm at a loss for identifying what I ate, but I can tell you the flavors were great, and the lunch offerings were more than sufficient for a buffet.
Service received a rating of two to three stars because I had ordered a drink upon arrival, but even after returning from the buffet to the table and eating a portion of my dish, the drink failed to arrive. I had to ask for it again in the middle of my meal.

If Om were only a little closer to my workplace, I would probably visit more frequently. However, I would certainly be willing to try them again for their buffet lunch or dinner entrees. Good stuff and a great chance to learn what South Indian cuisine is all about.