Me And My First Parsi Dish- A Love At First Sight

By Author: Fidos Cafe
Total Articles: 34
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This is a romantic date which I have kept secret in my heart till date, but today its open for you!

I was new in Mumbai then. Being born, brought-up and studied in Kolkata, Mumbai is the first city to offer me a job. Leaving friends and family back, I boarded the train with a heavy heart and dreamful eyes. Mumbai is the city of glamour, dreams and fashion. However, all these alluring attributes of the city, though fascinated me for the first few weeks, failed to stick me tight to the within the turn of a month. I was missing my family badly. The feeling that my old friends were having all the fun back in the home-city sans me started haunting me like anything else. I had disturbed sleeps dreaming about the special chicken roll behind the Rabindra Sadan metro station and often waked up at the mid of the night, panting (and salivating as well).

My job in the well-known film magazine took me to several glamourous studio and photoshoot floors which were horribly drab-looking from outside. But still I love the exteriors more as it were smeared with the fragrance of street-foods rather than the interiors smelling of ...
... cosmetics and burning smell of high power lights and though very mild but sweaty smell from people working in ventilation-less interiors. I made few acquaintances in my office (I use the tag Friend very sparingly and selectively). One of them is Loveleena. She was holding the same position as of me in the organisation and both of us used to cover the same film and fashion beats. One fine day, we bumped into each, very in the work-hour, in one of the narrow streets of South Mumbai in front of those sluggish-looking glamour worlds. And since then she was my best friend in the new city. She introduced me to my new found love.

She offered me to accompany her for a plate of Kheema-pav in a nearby street-side joint. I was blue with terror and the horror of bada-pav and samosa-pav started creating illusions in my mind. I didn't knew exactly if I had gone senseless or lost my memory for the moment, because when I regained my composure I found myself almost being dragged by Loveleena to the small eatery in the side of the road. I was powerless to reject and refute. The initial draining emotions of terror was slowly getting overpowered by strong delicious aroma of food, and I became powerless all the more.

We sat in the antique wooden low-arranged table-chair and were served with cold water by a young casually dressed waiter. Loveleena quickly ordered for two plates of Kheema-pav and two special irani tea. For the first time I noticed the word Kheema associated with the fear-awakening word “pav”. Moreover there is tea as well which can soothe any kind of pain in me. With a brave-face, I waited for our food to arrive and it arrived pretty soon. At once the atmosphere became light and romantic. The plate that was placed in front of me was divided into three compartments. The biggest one drew my attention. It was filled with dark-brown colored semi-gravy minced goat curry with dark dreen coriander leaf particles peeping from here and there and the edges were beautifully guarded with a moat of lighter brown colored oil. With contended eyes I gently poked the solemn-looking gravy with a spoon and put inside the mouth. My eyes became teary and soon were closed to absorp wholly the satisfaction ozooed out if it. Now I atleast have one reason to stay in Mumbai. My eyes slipped to the smaller compartment and there lies the pav. No. There was nothing terror-creating in it. The pavs became pretty sober and supple after bathing is generous dolop of butter. The smallest compartment had sliced cucumber, onion and a small piece of cut lemon. (after all health should be taken care of).

I was overjoyed finding my new love, a whole new meaning of my existence in the city of Mumbai. I didn't waited much to accept and welcome each and every edible content of the plate in my stomach, in fact I was getting ready to welcome some more when the hot steaming cups arrived. Once again the aroma, not of love maybe, but relaxation. The masala tea with excess of milk brought a soothing effect to my soul, but soon my acid level increased and disturbed the sootheness. Whatever may be, I wish Loveleena all the happiness in her life and I am a slave to her all my life.

If you too wanna experience the love that gushed inside me at the sight of kheema-pav, allow yourself a plate. No you need not come down to Mumbai, but visit Fido's Cafe in your own city of New York. Wish you a happy love life!