Adventures in Spice
** Disclaimer** Be it food ,art, clothing etc. In no way is this post meant to disparage the culture of Inida.
As promised this will be my post about our eating experience,in Little India Artesia. After our wonderful shopping experience at Sona Chandi we needed a little something to eat. As we drove up and down Pioneer Blvd. and often times backing my car up where I shouldn't have, we happened upon what seemed to be an Indian fast food. We parked the car "finally" and adventurously walked into this little restaurant. Wha La! Indian Fair.
Now salivating from the aromas in the restaurant I spy the buffet. Hum! Didn't have a clue what was on the buffet menu, didn't know one dish from the other except the Tandori Chicken. Great! Safe on that Score. Whew! Something familiar.
So I say to the attendant. How do you order? Buffet she says. The attendant, yet another well dressed woman, with beautiful black hair and wearing a beautiful Kameez, I asked.....which one of these items is spicy? She pointed at a couple of the items, then pointing to a variety bowl of spices, says....try the food then if you like you can add more specie. Great I thought. Just the ticket for me.
So here is what I chose, not by name but by description.
* Tandori Chicken
* Hard boiled egg in Masala sauce, I didn't know it was an egg, I thought it was a fish <*)))>< until I looked closer. Not bad, but I am not a fan of hard boiled eggs.
*Potato, cabbage dish (I think. yellow in color) and...Whew! Spicy!!! I didn't need the variety bowl of spice for this one.
*Chicken, okra? and more Masala sauce. Very Yummy! I didn't need the variety bowl of spice for this one either.
*Jasmin rice. More Yum!
*Bread is complimentary and the assortment is Nann ( I love Nann...Yum!)and some other kind of whole grain flat bread.
* Canned Coca Cola
Note: no beef, cows are sacred. I support that.
Every thing, tasted awesome, each bite, everything was good.
While my friend Karen and I were eating we noticed a few young Indian men at antoher table. We struck a bit of a conversation with them. They went on to point out some of the other great restaurants in the area. Great we responded, and told the young men we would try some of the suggested restaurants our next trip back to Artesia.
As we ate our food, I noticed my nose running from the spicy flavors. I was pounding the Coca Cola by now. Karen pushed her spicy choice to one side of her plate. She was pounding the water, served in a tin cup. You had to go to the water cooler for your water. Hum, interesting!
As I enjoyed my Indian fare I look over at the young Indian men. They were eating and pounding the tin up water like no tomorrow. I began to wonder as I watched them devour their food. Maybe this is the catch when eating Indian food. Eat, Drink from the tin cup. Eat some more, drink from the tin cup. Yikes!
After Karen and I finished our lunch it was time to hit the road for home. We talked about our adventure on the way home comparing what we enjoyed and what was interesting to us. We parted saying have a good day and each of us retired to our little homes. Little did we know what was waiting for us.
Some where in the night my body began to turn inside out. Was I possessed by Krishna? Did someone put a Hindu curse on me. I don't eat meat, so I knew it couldn't be a curse from the sacred cow. Suddenly, I was awoken by a hard kick to the stomach. What the hell was that I thought. Gina (my dog) kicking me? Nope, she was fast asleep next to me. Another kick to the stomach, it was like my body was possessed. I was sicker than a dog. No offence to Gina of course.
Was it the Okra, the hard boiled egg that looked like fish, the potato, the spice? What was it? I didn't drink from the tin cup. My God! I haven't been this sick for sometime. I hate being sick. Hate it! I am rarely sick....so what was going on, what was it? Krishna, send me some good Karma. Please!
The next morning, I called my friend. Hello Karen? The fist thing Karen says to me, I am so sick Gabby. Did you get sick too? Karen drank from the tin cup, I didn't what was up?
In the end we figured it had to have been food poisoning. Thank God we were over it in 12 hours or so.
Will we go back to Little India? You bet ya! Karen says we just won't eat at that restaurant.
Finally, if and when you visit Southern California, Google Little India. Artesia. Visit, you won't be sorry for the adventure and just think what you have saved in Air Fare. It's a mini vacation/visit. Little India Artesia is a jewel in our own back yard.
