How to pick from a diverse menu- the dilemma of choices

I mentioned my friend Soumya a few times. I do go by her recommendations for exploring new places in Bengaluru to eat and visit. This post is about what happens when we have the dilemma of choices- when you have to pick from a diverse menu. Choosing what NOT to do is damned difficult at times. 🙂

She and I are friends and roomies from MBA college days. We were supposed to go to Fort Kochi for a quick trip in February this year. Time to introduce her too. She’s an HR consultant, foodie, book lover, art lover who loves to travel as well. She is also a loving mom and educator.

Incidentally, her husband Goutam, was also our batchmate, but I’m told they hardly spoke a word in the two years of campus life (go figure)!

Why eat outside – there’s a diverse menu at home

Sometimes, this is the question posed by others. I have a little something- an infographic for those who like to pose such silly questions. I may understand the dilemma of choices a bit more having lived outside my so-called hometown for more than 24. Some of the influences of food from different places help us to balance things out over time. Some people like to explore, experiment and are more adventurous. While others are not.

He, he…is there an exchange happening of more than just ideas? 😀 Yeah, we do have monetary exchange to be considered.

That’s why, we share a few recipes too for those who like to try something different but at home.

Do check out this recipe of Hainanese Chicken Rice for example. Isn’t it fun to try this once in a while? Perhaps for a special occasion? A change of palate, a mood, a certain different kind of food?

Diverse Menu at Vanamo

Vanamo was our second choice incidentally. This is a restaurant we tried because we could not get a table at Kopitiam Lah. The other new place in town creating a buzz. Perhaps there was something about Mid-Autumn festival which prompted me to try to smoke out the ghost from the past. By ghost I mean a buzz killing host. I love kaya toast for example. I presented many bottles of kaya jam to friends and family to introduce them to a new flavor.

A gift from my times in Singapore to friends in Kolkata and beyond. It was perhaps in loving memory of coffee and toast dates over weekend grocery shopping or catching up with friends.

I also learnt how to make it at home. But I choose not to do so. I seldom eat bread and when I do- I like it with eggs. But sometimes a gift of love is often misunderstood by others. I share this with those who prefer to have different “love languages”. It’s a choice- always a choice. This is my voice today. It may change tomorrow or be no longer there.

Getting back to the menu at Vanamo- do take your time to go through it. We loved the food there- especially the Dak-Kkochi and Patatas Bravas. Special mention for the cold brew with tonic water. Cool idea which I’m now able to make at home too! 😉

Interpretations of Diverse Menu

We talked about many things including using AI prompts to write out articles and stories. I learnt from her that some of them can even change the tone of the writing to easier, more humorous, more official, etc. Different ways of communicating the same message. We are in the age of eliminating unnecessary humans perhaps.

I am not using any of these- hence it maybe an Old Message in A Bottle version of a writing which could be done much faster by others. I somehow like a few older songs it seems. Why?

Bear walk maybe the need of the hour for those who are seeking greener pastures. Do like, share and subscribe to this channel. It is in preparation for a long walk to freedom from this body as well.

So here goes- a little anecdote with an old app/device/machine called a human being which maybe later replaced with a new one.

Pssst! This is a made-up conversation paraphrasing many such teasing ones before. I wonder what kind of conversations can be randomly generated by these AI tools which have no connection with real people and real conversations.

This reminds me a bit like one word added in some conversations with my husband. “Yes/No/Maybe.”

I’m now informed through search engines that “pineapple” maybe the new fruit to symbolize- “It’s complicated“. Ah well, things change. I often use terms and words which mean different things to different people it seems. It symbolizes prosperity in certain places too!

Green mango, Guava and pomegranates are also excellent choices for a salad or post meal fruit.

(Side thought bubble: My mother doesn’t like guavas. I wonder why. Though she conceded that the seedless hybrids are not bad.)

A little post lunch walk

I walked a bit after our meal and enjoyed the afternoon sun. I called a friend around the neighborhood to see if I could drop by. Not being around, was cool too. I realized I had my fill of conversations for the day.

In fact, later managed to speak on the phone which was good enough to have a little nod of checking in that he was fine and alive. A quick exchange of ideas also helped to trigger a few more thoughts of how to work on developing something further.

I remembered that there was a musical show in the evening where another friend Poornima was performing. Sadly, I had missed registering earlier and the online RSVP was closed.

I decided to walk towards Bengaluru International Centre popularly called BIC hoping to check if there was still some way to get my name registered.

To Michelle with Love

Lo and behold, on my way I saw Kopitiam Lah! What a coincidence (I thought). Why miss this opportunity since I was right at the doorsteps. I decided to check it out. It was brimming with people being the new kid in town. But luckily, I found a table. I thought I might have some mooncakes in memory of Mid-Autumn festival rituals. Remember gifting those as well to people I called family and friends.

My favorites were actually the snow skin ones which are lighter but spoil easily and must be refrigerated or consumed quickly. The traditional ones were yummy too but were very heavy and calorie dense. Didn’t learn how to make them. So, there’s no point asking me to replicate. But I believe they can be learnt online here. Here’s another website with Halal recipes for mooncakes. They all taste good. Trust me.

Are they healthy? Ummm…let’s say it’s good to share these (once in a while).

I ended up trying stuffed baos at Kopitiam Lah- a favourite of mine. Making that choice was easy.

One of them with an iced kopi used to be my favorite teatime snack. It’s an option for those who wish to try. They did have nyonya kuehs – another favourite of mine. And I couldn’t resist bringing a few back home. These remind me of a less sugary version of a diverse menu of peethes that we have had growing up in Eastern India.

Some of you may want to look this up. My grandma used to make these for our harvest festival (Makar Sankranti) in January. My mother still does if I ask her to- but it is dangerous to do so! It comes with many chores alongside and excess to be taken care of later. 😉

Footnote

I came back to make some millets payesh (sweet millets porridge) for a giveaway in lieu of a sale at Anandamela (a festive food fete). Something some of us do before our Dussehra or Diwali festivities- symbolic of cleaning up or balancing out of the ledgers. And of course, celebrating a few traditional festive recipes with family and friends. The recipe is simple. I shall share it soon.

Stray dogs are not present in Singapore. But there are plenty of stray cats. For cat lovers- that might be the place to go. I have no problems with street dogs, but rabid ones are a problem. We find a few in India too. I am reminded that there were a few stray dogs in Pulau Ubin. A little ditty below for those who are pet lovers- I call it The Woodpecker’s Ditty in memory of a coffin or two.

Everyone hates shucking oysters. So, I choose not to eat.

Said the Walrus today.

But there’s a pearl somewhere lost in the sands of time.

If you are so blind to be rubbing salt water on wounds

Knowing fully well they were all trying to bury bodies in tombs

I say to you Mr so called Carpenter, it’s taking a bloody long time

For you to open up your mind to give a simple quote to partake with chili and lime.

It seems you are in the market waiting to sell and buy

I ask you to do the same and you still lie why why why?

Perhaps you wish to swallow the entire ocean instead

I think it’s about time you woke up from your deep sleep I’m afraid.

– The Woodpecker’s Ditty by Melting Lemon Drop 20.09.24