Course: ENGL 105: Kitchen as a Writing Craft
Professor: David Ross
Parth Patel
English 105
Mr. David Ross
Paper 2.4
My Quest for Authentic Indian Food
Born and raised in India, I have had quite some experience with authentic Indian food, whether it may be my mom’s cooking or local restaurants. Since we moved to the United States nine years ago, my family and I have made monthly visits to Indian restaurants in search of the authentic, traditional taste that we enjoyed back home. In our search, while some have succeeded, most have failed miserably to provide the same taste.
I tried to find the authentic traditional taste at a local Indian restaurant located on West Franklin Street, Cholanad Restaurant & Bar. From the outside, this restaurant looks just like any ordinary restaurant: a squared building with a pointed roof with stairs leading to a door with the dining hours listed and a lit up sign that is placed on top. As I walked in, I was greeted by a variety of plants ranging from bamboo trees to a fake palm tree in the corner; as I was seated, I noticed that the paint on the walls was chipping off. The unstable tables were so small that it was impossible for more than two people to sit comfortably. It was clear that this restaurant was not making sufficient revenue when I felt the thinness of a basic 8.5x11 sheet of printer paper handed to me labeled “Menu.” It seemed as if they print their menu on a printer paper, fold it in a trifold, and hand it to the customers. Right from the beginning, it seemed that this experience was going nowhere but downhill.
Regardless of the quality of the menu, it consists of a variety of appetizers, main courses, and desserts. There is a dish to satisfy every type of customer, whether vegetarian, meat-eater, spicy food fanatic, or aficionado of sweets. The spiciness of each dish can be adjusted so that each dish can be made extra spicy for those who are daring or extra sweet for