House of Dosas, Hicksville: Vegetarian vibrancy

Since I’d last eaten at House of Dosas in Hicksville, the South Indian vegetarian restaurant has grown, both in popularity and size. It’s also undergone a style upgrade.

Not surprisingly, I encountered a full house on a recent week night. This is a real contender for top vegetarian restaurant on Long Island and stands as one of the area’s best Indian restaurants overall.

My dinner began with an order of bhel puri ($3.95), a popular street snack made with puffed rice, onion, chili and spices.  Ordered medium spicy, it ignited the palate without searing it.  Detonating a slow burn was the onion chili rava Mysore masala dosa ($10.95), a spicy semolina crepe — smaller in circumference than the conventional rice dosa — stuffed with a highly seasoned potato mixture. For sheer comfort, it was hard to beat the mixed vegetable uthappam ($8.95), a pillowy rice and lentil flour pancake embedded with vegetables. And the palak paneer ($7.50), spinach with an Indian cottage cheese and spice, was as lively as it was soothing.

House of Dosas is at 416 S. Broadway, Hicksville, 516-938-7517.