Hole in the Wall

Our team went for lunch at a little spot not far from the office that they described as having delicious food and being quite inconspicuous from the outside. Here we would call it a hole in the wall. When our car arrived at the place I first noticed a group of goats outside and the most adorable baby goat I had ever seen (maybe only baby goat I have seen). W I pointed it out my coworker said that they are going to be part of the mutton curry. Sad, but at least the place has fresh ingredients. I got out of the car to see the place in its entirety. It was basically a room with a side patio that had an awning over it. It looked literally like a hole in the wall and smelled like a petting zoo. We walked in and things were very rustic. Simple benches and tables filled the room which was lined with a plastic barrier. I was a little scared to see the kitchen right there on the patio among the stench. but we got nearer to the cooks the savory aroma of spices served as an air freshener for the restaurant. It smelled too good to be fearful of the food.

There was no menu and there were only a few options to choose from. We each got a silver platter with some sauces on it. I have no idea of what was in the sauce but I tried them anyway. That is the best part of India- they respect vegetarians by never letting meat slip into your dish and they don't eat strange parts of animals. One was yellow and oddly sweet, spicy, and sour. Another was a gray sauce that was amazing but it caused my lips to catch on fire and it that took me three glasses of water to extinguish the sensation.

The cook then came out with a HUGE bowl full of rice. Football team pasta feed big. He scooped heaps of rice on each of our plates. The rice was cooked with the husk on so it was more like brown rice. I noticed I had no silverware as everyone began to use their hands to mold their rice like they were prepping mashed potatoes for a gravy volcano. The man then came back with a bucket of something yellow and scooped it out onto each of our plates. Everyone began mixing the rice and sauce together with their hands and digging in. I chickened out and got a spoon.

The food really was delicious. The man would come back around and scoop more rice and sauce on our plate- it was like an all you can eat buffet. It was a trip to see my team use their hands to eat. They said that I got out of it this time but next time, I was going to have to use my hands. They said the food tastes so much better when you do. So far, I have been completely won over by Indian food from India so I believe them. Once I find a place I can get a manicure, I will be back scooping food up with my fingers.

This dining experience made me realize that not only do I enjoy trying new foods but different dining experiences. It is rare that you get to experience a new ways of eating and serving food. I look forward to more experiences like this one.