So, I found this on my personal blog, jenidowntime, and decided to re-post it here b/c it is very appropriate:
For those of you who watch what you eat, here is the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all of those nutritional studies:
1) The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2) Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3) The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4) Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5) Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and still suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Shanti vs. Bombay House vs. Taste of India
One of my favorite types of food is Indian. In Bloomington, there are more than a few choices. I chose to duke it out amongst the three that I have tried.
1) Shanti: The food here is excellent and the service is friendly. Normally, when I eat there, I even get free dessert. They are a little expensive, but good Indian food is worth the expense. The only down-side, it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R to eat here b/c you have just spent and hour either a) waiting for your food; b) waiting for a refill on your beverage; or c) waiting for someone to take your money. I would still eat there any day; but make sure your aren't in a hurry. Tip: Shanti has the world's best Chicken Tikka Masala.
2) Bombay House: My opinion on this place is to avoid it like the plague. Here is why: a) The food tastes like it has been nuked in the microwave (you can especially taste this in the chicken dishes); and b) if you aren't of Middle-eastern decent, the waitstaff (and there is only one waiter I have encountered the 3 times I have eaten there) is rude to you. I tested this theory. First of all, I am of Caucasian decent. My husband and I went there one afternoon for an early dinner. The waiter was REALLY rude. It was actually upsetting to me. He acted as though it were a hardship to take our order, refill our glasses, deliver our food to our table, and then take our money. Not a good experience. Stupidly, I went back again to give them another chance and had the same exact outcome. After being aware of the issue (my skin color), I made a joke to my Indian friend about it. So she and I set out to test my theory. We had the same waiter, and the service was good. Normally, I would counter this argument and say, "maybe that guy just had a bad day... each time I went" but there is a distinct difference between feeling like you are being treated badly b/c the color of your skin and being treated badly b/c someone before you left crappy tip. My conclusion is that I work hard for my money, and I have many options of places to spend it; Bombay House is no longer one of those options... plus the food isn't that great.
3) Taste of India: Normally, it is hard to get me to agree to an Indian restaurant that a) advertises a lunch buffet; and b) isn't Shanti. But I was really surprised by how much I liked this place. The service was AMAZING, the food was delicious and the prices were a bit lower than Shanti. As I mentioned before, Shanti has the worlds best Chicken Tikka Masala, but Taste of India's was good as well. I also tried two other dishes (Chicken Korma and something else I can't remember the name of) and they were fantastic. The thing I like about Taste of India is that they make their chicken dishes with white meat chicken, Shanti doesn't even do that; I have to specially request white meat chicken. Also at Taste of India, my glass was never empty, there was always someone nearby to make sure we had what we needed, and it didn't take an hour to pay my check. All-in-all it was a great experience and I can't wait to eat there again.
Watch out Shanti, Taste of India means serious business.
1) Shanti: The food here is excellent and the service is friendly. Normally, when I eat there, I even get free dessert. They are a little expensive, but good Indian food is worth the expense. The only down-side, it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R to eat here b/c you have just spent and hour either a) waiting for your food; b) waiting for a refill on your beverage; or c) waiting for someone to take your money. I would still eat there any day; but make sure your aren't in a hurry. Tip: Shanti has the world's best Chicken Tikka Masala.
2) Bombay House: My opinion on this place is to avoid it like the plague. Here is why: a) The food tastes like it has been nuked in the microwave (you can especially taste this in the chicken dishes); and b) if you aren't of Middle-eastern decent, the waitstaff (and there is only one waiter I have encountered the 3 times I have eaten there) is rude to you. I tested this theory. First of all, I am of Caucasian decent. My husband and I went there one afternoon for an early dinner. The waiter was REALLY rude. It was actually upsetting to me. He acted as though it were a hardship to take our order, refill our glasses, deliver our food to our table, and then take our money. Not a good experience. Stupidly, I went back again to give them another chance and had the same exact outcome. After being aware of the issue (my skin color), I made a joke to my Indian friend about it. So she and I set out to test my theory. We had the same waiter, and the service was good. Normally, I would counter this argument and say, "maybe that guy just had a bad day... each time I went" but there is a distinct difference between feeling like you are being treated badly b/c the color of your skin and being treated badly b/c someone before you left crappy tip. My conclusion is that I work hard for my money, and I have many options of places to spend it; Bombay House is no longer one of those options... plus the food isn't that great.
3) Taste of India: Normally, it is hard to get me to agree to an Indian restaurant that a) advertises a lunch buffet; and b) isn't Shanti. But I was really surprised by how much I liked this place. The service was AMAZING, the food was delicious and the prices were a bit lower than Shanti. As I mentioned before, Shanti has the worlds best Chicken Tikka Masala, but Taste of India's was good as well. I also tried two other dishes (Chicken Korma and something else I can't remember the name of) and they were fantastic. The thing I like about Taste of India is that they make their chicken dishes with white meat chicken, Shanti doesn't even do that; I have to specially request white meat chicken. Also at Taste of India, my glass was never empty, there was always someone nearby to make sure we had what we needed, and it didn't take an hour to pay my check. All-in-all it was a great experience and I can't wait to eat there again.
Watch out Shanti, Taste of India means serious business.
Janko's Little Zagreb
This is place is an institution in Bloomington. Known for its AMAZING steaks and excellent wine selection, Zagreb's (as it is called by the locals) is a place where you can drop some serious dough, but leave feeling not-in-the-least-bit guilty about it. These days, that is a rarity.
Upon walking into the establishment, you might be taken aback by the shabbiness of the decor, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you let it persuade you to leave. It does look like a complete hole in the wall, but the food and attentive service make you quickly forget about the brick textured wallpaper.
Tip: If you are going with a friend or significant other, I would recommend the Sirloin for 2. The price isn't terrible at $42, but the meal in itself is WELL worth it. It comes with a steak the size of a hubcap, 2 salads, 2 baked potatoes and all of the fresh grilled rolls and butter you can eat (and I could probably eat 2 baskets of those things by myself). Not to mention, the waitresses are super-friendly... hard to find these days.
All in all, this is where I make my husband take me to dinner for birthdays and anniversaries. Keep up the good work Zagreb's!!!
Upon walking into the establishment, you might be taken aback by the shabbiness of the decor, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you let it persuade you to leave. It does look like a complete hole in the wall, but the food and attentive service make you quickly forget about the brick textured wallpaper.
Tip: If you are going with a friend or significant other, I would recommend the Sirloin for 2. The price isn't terrible at $42, but the meal in itself is WELL worth it. It comes with a steak the size of a hubcap, 2 salads, 2 baked potatoes and all of the fresh grilled rolls and butter you can eat (and I could probably eat 2 baskets of those things by myself). Not to mention, the waitresses are super-friendly... hard to find these days.
All in all, this is where I make my husband take me to dinner for birthdays and anniversaries. Keep up the good work Zagreb's!!!
Introduction
I live in Bloomington, In, home of the Indiana University Hoosiers. Thanks to the University bringing in a plethora of students from across the world, this town offers a hopping nightlife, a refreshing mixture of culture, and the availability of MANY kinds of foods -- all in a small town setting.
This blog was set up to document my culinary and "thirsty" travels - as a native - through this city and it's many delights (and not so delightful adventures).
Cheers!
This blog was set up to document my culinary and "thirsty" travels - as a native - through this city and it's many delights (and not so delightful adventures).
Cheers!
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