The Indian Food Adventures

Alright, so most of you know that I'm obsessed with Indian food. Those who didn't know probably got some idea from the post below. For the readers who still haven't gotten the memo...I'm obsessed with Indian food.

In Boston approximately a 4 minute walk from where I've been living for the past year or two there is a wonderful little Indian joint that sports a $7 lunch buffet every day of the week, plus a delicious if slightly more pricey dinner/takeout menu. As such, I'd say it's not unusual for me while in Boston to eat Indian food 2 or 3 times/week, easily.

But alas, as much as I would have liked it to, Bombay Cafe did not relocate to Dublin with me. So, a large amount of my time in my first month here was devoted to finding an adequate substitute. As you might have gleaned from the post below, that search was wrought with frustration. While living in Dublin's center at the Four Courts Hostel, there were several places that were easily accessible, but they were pricey and all together not that impressive. After a couple tries, I resigned myself to the truth that no matter how hard I tried, it was going to be very difficult to come across food with a respectable level of spice. I also resigned myself to the fact that like everything in this country, any take-out would be pretty damn expensive.

Shortly after my frustrations drove me to post that beautiful picture below and demand assistance from friends and family in the form of recipes, I discovered a wonderful website called http://www.just-eat.ie/, a website which is in essence the Irish version of Foodler. I entered in my postal district and out popped a list of restaurants that would deliver to me. A couple of them were Indian, and one was actually reasonably priced (€2 delivery fee aside). I immediately ordered chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and onion bhajee (a pekora-like structure made from just onions). After quite a bit of confusion in the ordering/delivery process, (they had to call to confirm something and their Indian/Irish English was COMPLETELY uncompatible with my American English - it took both of us repeating ourselves at least 3 times per sentence before the understood anything. Also, they can't deliver directly to the dorms and my phone was deciding not to pick up any calls at that particular moment) I met him outside the residence reception, paid up, and proceeded to gorge myself.

Was it spicy? No. Was it amazing? No. But it was close enough to the food that I loved and craved that it was the best ever, and what normally would have lasted me a good 2 meals was gone within an hour. I was so full and satisfied that I thought I surely would never have such cravings for Indian food again. This was Wednesday. I ordered again on Friday.

I managed to rope in my friends Kelsy and Meghan (who had never had Indian food?!?!!) to wait with me so that we could avoid the missed-call fiasco again. I saw someone pull up and my phone rang. I answered.

Me: Hello!
Delivery Guy: Hi, it's me from Gill's Tandoori. I'm parked in the same place I was parked yesterday.
Me: It wasn't yesterday!!
*Delivery Guy hangs up*

Pretty hilarious, I know. Anyway, got my food and not only was I able to save half of it for a delicious leftover meal the next day, but I was able to control myself enough that I was even able to spare some samples for Meghan, Kelsy, and Tom (who joined us later and was an instant fan of onion bhajee), who are all now newly-converted Indian foodies.

Since then, the Indian fever has spread. Subathra, another girl in our program, was able to loan me some spices for my (several) attempts at vegetable pekoras, attempts which in the last 2 batches have actually acheived some success. (And I managed not to completely maul myself while deep-frying!!!! Those of you who have seen my left hand know what a feat that is) With the help of Subathra's expertise, we've also managed to put together 2 feasts. Our home-cooking has actually managed to supress my desire to order in again, which is never easy, so I must thus declare the Indian Food Adventures to be a roaring success.

But, as most of us know, nothing will ever replace Bombay Cafe. Cheers!!