The variety and originality of food within a culture has long served as the identifier and symbol for that civilization. With the United States’ “melting pot” mentality comes the immigration of cuisine from all walks of life. Such places “serving global cuisine are sites where power, politics, and social and cultural hierarchies are made physical through architecture” (Sen 196). They stand as microcosmic representations of their homelands culture, beliefs, and lifestyle. Having been raised all my life in Dallas, TX, I have no shortness of appreciation for the omnipresent blended Tex-Mex cuisine and the sacred treasure that came with it: queso. But recently I traveled north to experience a new side of the Dallas lifestyle. Located in Richardson, TX, Taj Mahal Imports is nothing short of a transportation into the heart of Delhi. Foreign goods, ranging from Hindu statues to every pickled vegetable you could name and then some, lined nearly every inch of shelf space. The scent of the store took me back four years to my cousin’s Indian Wedding, where the vegetarian aroma filled the reception hall, and the people celebrated in organized dance for hours on end. It provided both a “symbol of the exotic ethnic landscapes of expatriate Indians,” and a contrast to the modern day American convenience store (204).

After strolling through the grocery section, we travelled to the back of the store, where an authentic Indian food restaurant, Chaat Corner, was being run by two Indian ladies, who were the least bit frantic when a class of twenty-six flooded to their register. From there, we waited in line for what we all came for: Samosa Chaat. Oh my, the Chaat. The mixture of ingredients that I can’t begin to pronounce, much less identify. The blended balance of sweet and spicy that sends your taste buds into overdrive. The hesitant curiosity that everyone had before taking their first bite. Despite my questioning of its future effect on my stomach, I went ahead and tried it and it was undoubtedly an enlightening experience. My past ignorance of the “slob” that people often describe as Indian food was truly a tasteful plate.

Chaat is emerging as a very popular on the go plate for the working man due to the fast paced culture and the convenience, low cost, and filling nature of Chaat. It has become a common staple of fast Indian food, and many stores are opening up around Cosmopolitan areas for people to experiment with a different culture. With the Chaat stores are typically an accompanying grocery store. This convenience allows expatriated Indians to complete all of their grocery shopping, and to get a good meal, while staying true to their native community.
This journey opened my eyes to a segment of Dallas that I was unaware of before. While undoubtedly there is a common assimilation to the immigrated Indians, a strong part of their culture migrated alongside them, and it can be found down the street for a total of $3.50.