Thursday, October 18, 2012

Ki Hangla

On my way home last night, I made one of those discoveries that change your life. It turns out we have a Bengali restaurant next door! I had already had my dinner packed from this indifferent Chinese place (note to self: do not order from iSpice again), when I saw a delightful yellow colored neon sign. Ki Hangla, delicacies of Kolkata, it said. I said hello to the two people manning the counter (ah, that yummy bengali accent) and picked up the takeaway menu.

We'll order dinner from here tomorrow night, I told the flatmates. And then, perhaps because I'm reading Alexander McCall Smith these days, an utterly random thought presented itself: this simple declaration is so fraught with uncertainty. We make these grand plans....we'll buy a house in Goa two years from now, we'll travel to Japan next year, we'll celebrate new year's eve in Amritsar, we'll order dinner from the newly discovered restaurant. Aren't these acts of supreme courage, planning future like this, I mean? So much can happen from tonight to tomorrow, that can decide whether or not we have the bhetki or the aloo posto (I do know my bong food, thank you).

Oh well. Nothing surprising did happen today. I worked on slides and documents, went for a run, chatted with my brother, and ordered food from Ki Hangla. It's good to have a predictable life.

Ki Hangla, what a beautiful name (turns out it means 'how greedy'). And it absolutely did not disappoint. They seem to have bengali people cooking bengali food, which helps I suppose. Even the woman who took my call had that lovely bong lilt in her voice. She helped me choose a meal that I'm not likely to forget in a hurry. Ilish bhapa, paach meshali sobzi, steamed rice and tomato chutney. It was delicious, and I ate it with all the respect it deserved, with my fingers, licking them clean. My only, and minor, grudge is that they don't make their roshogullas in house. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. I have deep love for roshogullas and I think it's a terrible shame to serve Haldiram's in a place like this. Still, I forgive them. Next time I'll order mishti doi instead.

Ki Hangla, highly recommended.

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