rks

Hi, I'm new to this board. National Geographic issued a special edition magazine on food around the world, and they covered the Japanese style of Robata Yaki. I've never seen a Japanese restaurant of this style here in the US. It's described as a mix between American grill, Spanish tapas, and Irish pub conviviality. What are typical items on the menu?

BBhasin- you are correct. The expansion of restaurants and grocery items have grown. There is no denying that. My argument is that quantity in restaurants doesn't mean the quality of the restaurants have improved. Both you and Suvir have touched upon the issue of quality. I'll also qualify my views as an outsider's so please forgive me if I make some grave generalizations. The idea that the cuisine is "stuck in a rut" applies to a broader landscape than just NYC and other culinary hotspots. I want people beyond NYC to recognize and understand the breadth of the cuisine and what it's really about. I estimate that there are about 1150 Indian restaurants in the top 50 US metropolitan cities. I am confident in saying that less than 2% have done anything substantial in creating the balance of quality food and atmosphere. I am eager to hear about the places in India where you've found a great mix of both. It will offer great insight to what restauranteurs here in the US should strive for or at least use as an inspiration.

The British used the word "tiffin" to refer to snacks in the colonial days.

Suvir, we've actually met at Cafe Spice and shared our thoughts about the future. I have much more to add to the post and our conversation. Mr. Malothra is forward thinking. There are some aspects I wish he did differently that would attract an even larger market. I think my concept will take that next step. The goal is to introduce more people to the cuisine. I don't think high end restaurants are in a position to do that. To reach the larger audience you have to feed the masses not the classes. I think the casual approach is what Indian cuisine needs to expand. Casual concepts are easier to toy with in terms of design, and you can always tweak the design to make the concept feel like a neighborhood restaurant in any city. People will relate with the food, if prepared properly and if they feel comfortable in their surroundings. Isn't that a key to any successful restaurant? A little test I use in proving the point: Ask an average Joe what his favorite restaurant is and why. I guarantee you they mention something about the atmosphere before they say something about food. There are very few high end concepts, Indian or not, that have successfully taken the same concept to other cities. Why? Because you really have to know what those high-end diners want, and it's not always the same across cities. What do you think?

P2, sorry I didn't take the time to define comforting. I don't even think it was the right word. I think some restaurants should try and really focus on capturing a younger demographic (22-35) while keeping a moderate price point.

Suvir, what a loaded topic! As someone who's beginning a crusade to make Indian cuisine mainstream, I can relate to many of the questions you've raised. I've thought extensively about why this great cuisine hasn't moved forward the past few decades. First off, I want to comment on the restauranteurs you mentioned. I admire their success in bringing more recognition to the Indian cuisine while maintaing the elegance and traditional preparations that most people recognize in a good Indian restaurant today. However, they're not doing anything new. They'll continue to serve the first generation NRIs and people who grew up in the '60s and '70s well. Without being deragatory, they aren't looking towards the future. To propel the cuisine to the next phase here in the US, we have to understand why it's stuck in a rut. What haven't restauranteurs done well to make it more acceptable. The biggest hindrance, I find, is the atmosphere in Indian restaurants. I characterize it as the single biggest reason for the stagnancy. Certain stereotypes: 1. The restaurants, kitchens included, in general are dirty as hell 2. The service is horrendous (there are to many more generalizations to add) The next step is to break every stereotype and start from scratch. Albeit the approach is extreme. It's necessary to create a comforting atmosphere. Second, we have to let people know there's more to Indian food than Mughal cuisine (the chicken tikka masalas, naan, samosas, mint chutney, etc.). What about seafood, Goan meats, all of the light tropical flavors?? In preparing these dishes, we have to remember who we're feeding. I think the key to successfully redefining it is simplicity. Forget all the heavy curries and complex layers of spices. Bring it to the bare bone essentials. Use only what's necessary to make it Indian. Once people begin to grasp the essential flavors of Indian cuisine, we'll have room for experimentation or as Suvir says, "fusion-confusion". Look at French food for example (btw, I'm by no means well versed on the cuisine.). The best French foods are simply prepared. The chefs don't confuse the flavors. The audience for Indian cuisine is ever changing, yet the cuisine has been the same for the past 20 years. Something is wrong there...

I scoured some cookbooks and came across another name, Idiyappam. It's sometime served with sothy, a seasoned coconut milk. Does this ring a bell? Indiagirl, a recipe for seviya upma would be nice. I think I'm just looking for some creative ways to incorporate rice noodles in a dinner entree.

could you explain what that is?

The use of rice noodles in Kerala cooking is common in breakfast and lunch dishes. However, we don't see many interpretation on Indian menus here in the US. How are rice noodles prepared? What are some good traditional rice noodle dishes? I think the use of rice noodles would be a creative and interesting addition to an Indian menu.

I imagine the concept has caught on and successful. They plan to expand to 52 stores with in the UK in the coming year or two. rks

Dubbawalas have been in Bombay for quite sometime. What I find interesting is how two London entrepreneurs harnessed the idea and applied it to the western culture. They created a company Tiffinbites, which I imagine is characterized as fast food. They offer a tremendous variety a traditional indian lunch dishes to the lunch crowd in tiffins. What do you think of their idea? Good? Bad? Tiffinbites Rks