India’s Soft Power! Meet the ‘Viral’ Japanese Men Serving Authentic Idli-Dosa in Kyoto

Ask Prasanna Karthik, a Fulbright Program Fellow, about where he’s tasted the best dosas and idlis, and his response will surprise you.

In a recent thread on X (formerly known as Twitter), Karthik spoke about his visit to a restaurant in Japan’s Kyoto — ‘Tadka’. What’s surprising is that this eatery is not run by an Indian, but rather by a Japanese duo!

As Karthik writes, “They visit Chennai once every 6 months, learn new dishes, practise it to perfection and add it to their menu.” The duo’s dedication to delivering authentic South Indian cuisine has caught the attention of netizens.

The result of this effort is a platter of South Indian delights that received a thumbs up from Karthik, who found the place on par with many eateries in South India, where he hails from.

I visited this kick-ass south Indian restaurant called Tadka in Kyoto, Japan. Tadka is owned and run by Japanese people. They visit Chennai once every 6 months, learn new dishes, practice it to perfection and add it to their menu. pic.twitter.com/rDmBn4JbIC— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

Apparently Tadka has very very few Indians eating there. Its customers are mostly Japanese customers who have fallen in love with the food there. what a way to contribute to India's soft power!!! pic.twitter.com/3ETklgOwGj— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

In the process, the two have truly embraced Indian culture from the bottom of their heart. They developed a deeper understanding of Hinduism and fell in love with it. pic.twitter.com/Jbhpglskyo— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

I don’t have coffee or tea. But when I was leaving, they gave me a complimentary cup of south Indian filter coffee. Since I did not want to be rude, I accepted it. It turned out to be the best filter coffee I’ve ever had. These guys took Japanese precision to an all new level. pic.twitter.com/ZETj1lUN9T— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

He also went on to talk about the Indian culture encouraged at the restaurant among other things that surprised him. “In a country that uses chopsticks to eat food, Tadka actively promotes eating by hand…in true South Indian style.”

Needless to say, Karthik left the place impressed with just how Indian cuisine is finding love globally.

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Edited by Pranita Bhat