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The Yellow Crepe

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Last week, my classmates and I visited an authentic Indian restaurant located within a West Plano grocery store. Promptly after closing my car door, I was engulfed with the array of crisp spices and Indian inspired music. Along the middle isles, I noticed over twenty discernable rice grains. Similar to the nonnatives who shop at Vic’s grocery store in Berkley, California I became muddled on my food order at the Chaat house. As for the Chaat house specifically, a Chaat house “belongs to a growing list of popular food – wraps, organic snacks, fusion food, finger food, and small plates” (Sen 205). My peer, Lawner, Knox, helped break down the menu into simplistic terms and helped aid my informed verdict, the Masala Dosa. Upon seeing the Masala Dosa for the first time, I was stunned by its enormous proportion and immense smell. The brown crepe resemblance made me assume it would be very sweet, however, mine was bitter and acidic tasting. The variability of South Asian dishes culminated my unrestrained experience. Although I did not like my warm dish, I savored eating the garlic naan because it reminded me of garlic bread, a bridge of Italian cuisine.

 

I surprised myself and my Professor by trying a culturally diverse menu item. After eating at the stuffy restaurant, I was able to contrast my Hispanic cultural background to those of the Indians. Similar to the Indian grocery store, Hispanic grocery stores tend to sell authentic food and welcome outsiders. Since location is key to ringing in customers, cafes flourish with multifaceted customer backgrounds and relations. The Plano location highlighted cross-cultural Indian heritage because next door there was a sari clothing store. Similar to the article, the shoppers at the West Plano location had a commonality in clothing, women wore saris, while men wore liberal clothing. The traditional clothing pieces allow Indians to be grounded in their culture, while offering a means of historic enrichment to other diverse nationalities.

 

One food item that piqued my food interest was the pani puri masala because I recalled prior exposure when watching The Story of India series in class. The pani puri is a small hollowed bread that is often stuffed with a variety of ingredients. The pani puri is a famous street food and contributes to the fast-paced lifestyle and simplistic food crafting. The simple food cooking routine resembled the select menu choices inside the restaurant and added to the depth of Indian heritage. I started to understand Indian eating traditions through the field trip in a way I had not previously thought about. I observed the clientele at the restaurant, and noticed the consumers ranged in occupation. One consumer was a doctor, me a student, and others bound together with their families enjoying a homemade meal. The convergence of occupations and different backgrounds exemplified the ethnic and socioeconomic influences coming together. Just as street foods brings in the rich and poor, so too did the chaat house in Plano. I urge many now to try something new.

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