What started off as a lazy Saturday night, and a plan to hit up the dime a dozen restaurants in our monopolized world, turned into an entirely cultural experience.

Breads of India

I thought a nice barbeque chicken pizza from California Pizza Kitchen sounded pretty good, so I called up a couple friends and hopped in the car to head to Walnut Creek. Of course once we got there and found out it would be a 45 minute wait, I knew my growling belly would be angry if it didn’t get anything inside it soon. So what do we do? We wander, “Oh there’s an Italian place down this way, or Mexican a little further?” So we trek in said direction to find another hour wait and overpriced menu…while waiting for one of my friends to get cash out of the ATM, I sat on the bench and thought to myself, what I am thinking? A cardboard disc with plastic cheese sounded good to me? No! I know that every restaurant deserves its chance, and usually I leave feeling pretty satisfied from little hole in the wall places. So my friend spotted this modest, nearly empty Indian restaurant that was reasonable price wise, and most importantly we could get a table as soon as we walked through the door.

I had never had Indian food, and was a little hesitant as I read the first thing on the menu and it said “fully cleanses stomach of all ailments and digestive barriers”….Hmmm not sure if my system was ready for a full cleanse through hard to pronounce, foreign herbs and spices….My friend suggested a personal favorite called the Chicken Tikka Masala and I know I can’t go wrong. So we order and as an added bonus I decided to try the hot chai tea that’s on the menu. Why go to Starbucks later when I can get something more authentic now?

I was excited and hungry to eat my meal of chicken curry, rice, and loads of Naan, the flatbread that added a unique flavor to each bite. The curry was gently spiced and only slightly tingled my tongue. The flavor was full and explosive with each mouthful, I stuffed my face until the curry-smothered pieces of chicken were gone and enjoyed every minute of it.  My tummy was full and warm as I polished the last piece of Naan, it was a truly satisfying meal.

Food and Friends

After trying something unique and different, I was proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone. I enjoyed an incredibly new experience with great friends, had great conversation, and left with a feeling of excitement and desire to try even more exotic and adventurous foods, maybe Moroccan or Ethiopian.

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