I love eating out once in a while. Back home in Mumbai, I bought the Times Good Food guide (which was like an answer to any foodie's prayers) and was floored by the sheer number and the variety of palates our city's restaurants were ready to cater to. We enjoyed checking out some of the finest Chinese, Mughlai, Thai, Italian, Mediterranean, South Indian restaurants and more. We had our favourites, the places you go to and know what you're going to eat even before you reach there; places where the restaurant manager, the waiters know what you like and how you like it; places which will make sure you get a good table even if they don't take reservations on weekends; places which you keep revisiting because you want to celebrate your memories and create new unforgettable ones!
What I am really missing right now are the fast food restaurants; the quintessential "Udupis" which served everything right from the crispiest dosas to the spiciest paneer chillies, from the most mouth-watering pav bhajis to the most flavourful Punjabi food; serving versatility without burning holes in your pocket. Literally, the world of Udupi restaurants, road-side chaat, vada pavs, faloodas, grilled sandwiches, panner tikka pizzas had so much homeliness associated with it. There would be days when I would be craving some of these wonderful creations from the pots and pans of the cosmopolitan character of Mumbai and my mom and sister would willingly be my partners in crime. My dad would be happy to eat at home over eating out any day but would join the gourmands quite happily!
Food has an amazing quality to make you feel at home. There's ghar ka khana (home-cooked meals) and there's all the mouth-watering bahar ka khana (eating out)! No matter how much you enjoy eating out, you really cannot eat out all the time. What is it about eating out that it cannot become a routine or it becomes a repulsive routine? I feel, there's simplicity and love missing in that food. There's a certain wholesomeness which home cooked meals boast of and they satisfy your soul not just your craving!
Why don't home cooked meals ever taste like the food from your favourite restaurant even if you followed their recipes right down to the amount of salt; my simple explanation for that is, you can never find the right proportion of stale food and not so stale food and fresh food :) That's the best explanation I could come up with :) but I am sure there's a better one out there!
I miss mom's cooking so much everyday! For my next trip back home, I already have my list of what I want her to cook for me and which restaurants we "have" to go to. I keep asking her for her recipes and then do my best to re-create the magic. Although I think I cook well, my food never tastes like ma's! Wonder when that will happen, till then I'll keep trying and just making the most of my meals with family at home and out.
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