Deceiving Samosas

Once upon a time, in our suburban Philly area, there was only one Indian grocery store. But today within a driving distance of 5 miles, we can find at least 5 or 6 Indian stores.

These stores mostly keep Samosas next to the front counter. This is a difficult temptation for me to resist. If you give me the choice of a chocolate cake and a samosa, I will pick samosas any day. Spicy tangy items win over stupid sweet dishes. Except for cheesecake - the only non-desi dessert to which I cannot say No. I am digressing.

This fried item (fried in how many days old oil...hmm..we should not go that route) is more tempting when I am hungry and happened to enter the shop in such a state. Last week was one such occasion and a fresh tray of samosas arrived just then. I asked the shop keeper - "fresh hai kya" and he said "yes, madam". I said - "Pack 2 of those" considering the fact that B hates samosas and I have only been criticized for showing so much love buying extra ones for him.

After putting all purchased groceries in the trunk of the car, I carefully took out the samosa packet from the lot and put it on the passenger seat. I drove to the next stop which was an American grocery store , parked there and decided to eat one samosa. After all they should be savored when they are hot!

One bite and I almost broke the teeth. The samosa was super cold. It looked like the world's most beautiful samosa, but the outer coating was very hard. It was obviously taken out of a fridge just now. When I saw the tray of samosas being delivered in front of my eyes, I assumed they will be hot. I should have learnt my lesson from my previous such experiences.

How many ever shops they may open, the samosas are always cold. The filling is never great. When a mass order of samosas is catered, it is again disappointing to see the poor quality. This post is dedicated to Poor me who still forgets these lessons and keeps buying them with hope!

Taco Bell experience

Taco Bell is probably one of the very few fast food places that an Indian vegetarian in US like me likes to go to. My favorite item (which is also my kids' favorite by now) is called Chalupa. The picture shows a beef version, I guess. Anyone familiar with Indian food can equate it with a Poori with some stuffings. It has been quite a savior to me during pregnant times when I was hungry all the time. My typical order (by now, B has it memorized too) is : X nacho cheese chalupas minus beef add beans.

So two days I ago, I stand in the counter after dropping Nikhil to karate across the road and Nithin with me. I recite this recorded order and they even accepted my payment. That is when the lady inside brought it to the cashier's attention that they are out of BEANS!

Cashier: "Sorry, ma'm, we are out of beans! Would you like to have something else instead in your chalupa?"

I was put in a spot - what was I supposed to put in my bean chalupa other than beans? Note than beef, chicken and even shrimps (once a server in a Japanese restaurant brought me shrimp saying it is not meat) don't qualify as vegetarian in my dictionary.

I said: "Ok, go ahead and make it with other ingredients without beans."

Cashier with a worried look: "Are you sure you don't want some chicken on it? How will you eat with just lettuce and cheese? It will be so plain."

Me: "I don't eat chicken. No meat. So go ahead and give it to me just like that."

Cashier was really sorry for me and apologetic for not having beans and (as we soon found out), spoons and forks also! I was smiling to hear that!

An old Tamil mimicry joke goes: "Poottu irukka?" asking the shop keeper for a poottu (lock) and indirectly nudging him to lock the shop and go home.

The rest of the time I spent was a positive experience though. The shopkeeper wanted to make up for their shortcomings - so I got a juice box for Nithin, who was just as happy with his chalupa as always (no beans, so what!).

Cashier: "Chocolate or Vanilla?"

Me: Hmm...Chocolate (wondering what is coming next and thinking of Nikhil's favorite flavor)

Cashier hands me a cholocate icecream.

Time to leave. And cashier says: "Ma'm, thanks for your patience. I have one more thing for you" and he handed me a hand written note for 2 Bean Chalupas FREE next time!

P.S. Nikhil enjoyed the icecream! One day, I will enjoy the bean chalupas soon! Three cheers to customer satisfcation!

P.P.S. Sorry gals/guys for the silence - I was busy with work, so will be for this whole month.

Pizza talk

Ordering pizza and getting what you expected is really a matter of luck. So says my experience over the years! And I am supposed to be in charge of ordering them always. And something always happens that, in the end, I feel responsible for the goof up!

Couple of years back, we used to have a Donatos Pizza which served a unique Pizza called 'Mariachi'. I was a great fan of that spicy pizza and when I was pregnant, I used to go there super hungry and order that!

Ordering a 'veggie Mariachi' pizza only made them put veggies on top of a Mariachi pizza loaded with meat. When I opened the pizza box, I was disappointed and I returned it and I explained the requirement. And here comes another goofed up pizza as a result. The requirements were not understood right once again! Finally the third try worked. The shop ended up giving as 3 pizza pies to take home! B benefitted from the meat pizzas that we got as a gift!

From then onwards, I learnt to specifically name all the veggies I want as toppings, mention 'No meat' and then say 'add Mariachi spice on top of it'. Lesson learnt!

Anytime, we ordered over the phone, the instructions were misunderstood and something was bound to surprise or shock us. Yesterday something similar happened.

I called Dominoes and had a conversation about what deals they have. The talk fluctuated from medium to large pizzas with and without toppings. I swear I ordered 2 mediums and I put the phone down. The total he mentioned flashed in my mind and I said - this cannot be right, I bet they have 3 large pizzas in the order after all the talks. I called them back to find out, yep, that was what they had put in. I patted my own back on catching this at the right time. I fixed the order back to what I wanted. Phew!

Any interesting experiences from your side?

Adventurous dinner

After work, I went to pick up Nikhil and Nithin from the baby sitter's place. It was time to take him swimming again. Life has changed all of a sudden so much. Up until last week, I had the luxury of not having to worry about managing the younger one when the older one goes to an activity. But now I am alone with 2 kids till B comes back from Kuwait tomorrow.

I know , you guys are going, thank God, she will have to stop this 'alone with 2 kids' dialogue at least tomorrow! Ha Ha Ha! I think I am enjoying all the sympathy and attention I am getting from people for this reason!

Back to the story! It was a new instructor, a giant man, who looked to me exactly like the genie who appeared when Aladdin rubbed his lamp. He snubbed at me when I went to him with my usual 'please deal with my kid like this..' and told me 'lesser said the better'. Having convinced my son who watched me from far away, that I DID warn the instructor about not letting him under water too much, and feeling sheepish, I waited with Nithin on my lap. The class really went very well. The old man knew his way to work with kids.

The class was over and I was super hungry when we started our ride back. I was tempted to go to my favorite restaurant (Devi vegetarian) for dinner. I asked myself.
"Am I crazy venturing to go to a restaurant all alone with these 2 kids?".
The younger one I know would play with the water on the table, try not to sit in the high chair and for all you know, when I get my food in front of me, who knows if I can even eat once piece peacefully! I know B would not dare to take them.

On one side, was this fear. On the other side, were my hunger and the "yummy-veggie-South-Indian-food" thoughts.

I looked to Nikhil for some courage.

I tried to entice him. "Nikhil, do you want to eat pooris"
He replied quickly : "Yes, yes, yummy"

That was it. I will deal with the problem when it comes. There are 2 people now in the car wanting to eat out.I am going to Devi. Period.

We parked a bit far and walked when the wind almost blew us down. It was cold and so windy.
I kept my fingers crossed. We placed our order and the food came.
Contrary from usual, Nithin also did some good job with the food. Nikhil ate his pooris as a good boy. I ordered a dosa which was served in an oval plate as big as new born baby! Everything was good. And I thought 'everything is going so well. Ek coffee order karne ki gusthaakhi karoon? '
And I did. Nikhil got his usual mango lassi.

We left the place contented and not stressed out. Mission accomplished. Thank God for the adventure well done!