Meatless moments at the table……

The south of India is infested with “cows” quite literally, both on and off the roads…. My apartment is full of “ghas poos” (a term used for those who eat only vegetarian food and most importantly for those who have a problem with non vegetarian’s doing what they like the most) and this is quite a community to be a part of when you are just the opposite.

Last evening one of my neighbours hosted a party to celebrate his son’s success in Grade XII. I was among the 15 odd invitees and was bestowed upon with the task of booking an exclusive “ghas poos” hotel for the vegetarian lovers that were expected to attend. I looked up and said,” me!!! Are you sure?” I was given a re-assuring grin by my neighbour with an emphatic statement, “You are the foodie here and who knows restaurants in Bangalore better than you?” Hmmm… Neat ego boosting statement that, but it gave my mother another wand to snarl at my lunging waste line, lack of gyming and the parallel profession that I was fast being pushed to; that of a food guide.

I had a huge problem here…The mandate presented to me- a good vegetarian hotel is a toughie!!! Non vegetarian food is up my alley and there are so many places to go in Bangalore. I could segment them into zones, price categories and food quality. May be a good idea for my next blog. Thanks to the lady love in my life who incidentally happens to be a vegetarian junkie as well, I found an interesting North Indian vegetarian proposition- “Ramanas” not too far away from where we stay and within the budget of Rs 4,000-5,000 for a group of 15.

The day arrived and we were all at the table on a cold Bangalore evening. The menu looked long, quite a contrast to all that I have ever thought of! What do vegetarians eat- a bit of paneer here, spread of dal (lentil seeds) fry or its variations, the usual gobhi/Baby corn manchurian (Cauliflower/Baby corn fried in Maida) or a twist of mix vegetables? I must be very honest- the hotel like most others had a decent spread, but all of it variations of the 4 broad vegetarian items I listed above. That can’t be exciting!!!

Sitting at the table, all I could think of was about what could have been. For a die-hard meat lover like me, something that fly’s, runs, walks or swims is a quintessential alibi at the table, particularly on a weekend.

I could fantasize and dream of better times- times when I could indulge in various flavours, recipes and combinations of meat. Times we associate terms like lip-smacking and mouth watering with. All we have here is an extended garden. At that moment, all I could think of was a lazy crab walking slowly towards me or even better lamb cubes fresh and ready to eat.

Our dining experience ended with most people around me talking great things about some good simple food that was served. But there was this one individual in the room who was left wondering about his “meatless moments at the table…”