Feb 9th - Let's Have Some Curry

We've only been here two weeks, and we already miss Indian food from time to time. I'm hoping moving into the apartment (this Sunday) will take care of that. However, since we are both big foodies, we explore and try different kinds of cuisine; most of which aren't even that expensive.

Strangely Indian food is! Yesterday we decided to explore the area around our apartment, and were quite thrilled when we found a desi restaurant. The tiny, well-lit room with indo-brit interiors exuded the aromas of India, and I could hear the rumble in my tummy. "I'll have a kulcha, or maybe a biriyani,"I thought to myself, while we were being led to our table. Thanks to all the woollens; coat, sweater, pretty black shawl with mirror work, and gloves, i took a while getting out of them. The snooty waiter (Indian ofcourse) waited with irritable patience. Then we got the menu card that read, "we charge one pound per person, for the papad and pickles that we serve." That got us laughing, while the waiter threw us disapproving looks. He excused himself, while we checked out the menu. Everything was over priced, and we hoped the food would be worth it. Another Indian waiter with a fake brit accent brought us the papads with some pickle. Around us we only saw firangs. Sipping wine, they cut into tandoori chicken, and chatted comfortably .

"I don't think this restaurant targets Indians", said the husband, still amused about the pound for the papads. "Kadai Palace" (another indian restaurant) gives it for free", I replied, after finishing a papad and a glass of cold water. "Hope we aren't charged for all the water you are drinking", joked the husband. Just last week, we were generously given "complimentary water" at an italian restaurant at Oxford Circus.

The food arrived. We'd asked for keema paratha, a vegetable curry, and a green chicken curry. Tasty and sufficiently spicy (a luxury in bland-land), the food was wiped clean in no time. "The food here is better than in Kadai palace".
"But at the Kadai Palace, they can see us", I added, while we tried to get the waiter's attention. When he finally saw us, "we mouthed dessert". Then we waited again, till the snooty waiter said, "ready?"! "A Tiramisu please." "Will they give us a finger bowl?" "Doubt it." In response, the snooty waiter brought us hot, wet towels. "The check please?" The bill came with orange and milk chocolates, vaguely reminiscent of the good old Amul (orange and milk) chocolates that i remember eating in the past. Happy, we left in two minds about whether we'd come there again. Maybe the friendly-looking chinese joint across the road, we thought. But atleast the food had been good, unlike mallu food we tried over the weekend.


We were excited when we found it, and we invited a cousin to lunch and took him there. I wish we'd checked the menu before sitting down. "Erachi Biriyani served with sambhar." Now i think we'll just stick to Kadai Palace, when we have a craving for Indian food..or just My experimental kitchen, post Sunday!:)