One Small Step for Mankind...But Can I Eat in the Back of a Taxi?

I had heard about Chutney’s, a popular breakfast place that specializes in one of my favorites things in the world, idlis. So, I asked Khaja Basha to take me there before work morning to get some takeout – or takeaway, as they call it here. Khaja warned me to eat there because takeaway would not be as good, but I insisted that I get it to go so we could get on the road and I'd eat it on the way to the office.

I ordered four mini uttapam, which I had never had before. I also had no idea what they were, as I had ordered them by name alone off of the menu. I figured that anything that shared a space on the menu with an idli – was good enough for me! As it turns out -- it kind of reminded me of the Japanese okonomiyaki!

I was waiting in the reception area of the restaurant, excited about the mystery meal I was about to eat in the backseat on the way to the office. This is what I got:

This was extremely amusing and confusing at the same time. Khaja just looked at me with a smile like – I told you so. This technique for providing takeaway was extremely advanced – with heat-sealed bags, and a separate type of metallic bag for the uttapum to help keep them warm. Yet – the food was in no condition to be eaten on-the-go, unless you were in space!

I guess this is why they call it takeaway, and not to-go. This also seems to explain a difference in what Indians and Americans consider to be acceptable dining conditions. This bagged food is meant to be taken home and put into proper serving vessels for eating at a table. McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are meant to be eaten in the backseat of a taxi!

Even when I got to the office, I just laid the bags on my desk for a while and looked at them in wonder. I had no scissors to cut the bags open and they were durable, so I could not just rip them open. Frankly, I ended up tearing the corners open with my teeth and poured little bits of the chutneys and sambar into some tiny plates that were more like coffee filters that I found deep in one of the kitchen cabinets.

Needless to say, it was a sad meal and I'll definitely think twice the next time I have a meal from a styrofoam partitioned-container acting as a lame imposter for a plate, serving bowls, and table.