Before we start let us all be clear on one thing: I love the food here. It’s absolutely delectable and could easily be the best thing I’ve experienced in Bangalore. Then there’s the added bonus of everything being so cheap here, due to the economy in general being lower, so we can dine in at posh, first class restaurants whenever we want. So yes, I’m being quite serious when I say I absolutely love it. But, I’m also being serious when I say eating here is a matter of life and death. No exaggeration. Well, maybe a little bit 🙂
One thing I’ve noticed, and often tasted at my own risk, is that Indians really like their food spicy. There’s spicy bread, spicy tea, even spicy instant noodles! And then there’s the food in the restaurants. You should usually be ok equipped with a large glass of water, unless you order something with the word “chilly” in the title. Then you’re in for a world of trouble. An example of this is the unfortunately true story of “me versus chilly” which I will now recount.
We had decided to visit Magnolia, one of my favourite posh restaurants, for dinner and I was just recovering from a particularly venomous blast of the fiery chilly chicken when I noticed something small, green and bean-shaped poking its head out innocently from my pile of spicy vegetables. A chilly. My heart roared out a fierce battle cry and I knew what I had to do. Taking a deep, calming breath to settle my nerves, I scooped up the chilly and popped it daintily into my mouth. I chewed and then tried to recoil from myself, finally realising what I had done. But nothing happened. I was alive! The patient chilly gave me one more moment to congratulate myself and then it struck its deadly blow. Molten lava roared up my throat, dragon fire all but seared off my tongue. Water was nothing against this inferno. Steamed rice only fuelled the fire. I was in agony. And in the rapidly burning house that was my brain I decided this must be what it felt like to be in hell.
Well that’s my post about food all wrapped up and done. Thanks for reading…and be warned…
The Suttonses in Bangalore 