Indian Curry House, Finally!

Old Store in Mabolo, Cebu

This was in my bucket list for 2 - 3 years since I first saw the shop at its old location (P. Almendras St, Mabolo, 6000 Cebu) and ever since my colleague raved about it multiple times. I visited the place myself quite a number of times too but it was never open until I found out online that it had stopped operating. It closed before I even had the chance to understand my confrere's excitement about the place. There was not much news about it so I figured, it must have gone bankrupt or the owner just called it quits.*

Reinvented

It was not until a year ago that I learned about its transfer to a new location near SM Cebu City. Thanks to the same raving friend who tipped me about it. His persistent persuasion really got me excited all over again.

Finally, the day has come. Along with another hunter, we hit on it. The location, although a little pushed from the highway and discreetly tucked behind Angel Locsin and Mang Inasal, is still not lacking of foot traffic. It was already 8PM when I arrived and there were still a lot of people inside APM Mall across SM Cebu.

The store is not brightly lit, except for a few hanging handcrafted chandeliers. It worked for me as I wanted to get in unnoticed. Grand welcomes (also entrances) scare me so I felt comforted that the owner was preoccupied with paying customers. I casually looked up to their menu on a billboard and mentally recited my orders.

When Anjali, the gabby owner, asked for my order, I said it like I knew how they are pronounced:

     Fish Masala - 220
     Chicken Dal - 170
     Roti - 80 (20 per piece)
     Mutton Biryani - 220
     Mango Lassi - 70
     Sweet Lassi - 60

Among the orders, I gush for their Chicken Dal, Roti and Mutton Biryani. Roti was a personal recommendation by the owner over Naan as she says the former brings in more health benefits than the latter. It is made of whole wheat cooked on a tava or griddle. On the other hand, naan's primary ingredient is white flour brushed with butter and cooked in a tandoori oven.

Chicken Dal (upper left), Fish Masala, Roti (bottom)

Mutton Biryani

Tear roti by hand, brush it on (or on it) the chicken dal that is made of curried lentils, and taste the inexplicable diffused spicy flavor exploding in your mouth and exiting through your nostrils. Do it again, and do it fast because the chicken dal tastes a lot better when hot. Like a hungry earthling, take a spoonful of the biryani, then reach out for the fish masala, then the roti and chicken dal again. "Whooaaa" .. that was superb! The after effect of the spice will linger so make sure to wash it off with lassi.

Original and Mango Lassi

The other dishes I would certainly sample on a second visit would be:

     Dosa

     Idli Sambar
     Mutton Curry

How about you? Leave me a comment about your favorite Indian food. :)

========================================

Wallet Watch - P820

Anjali was nice enough to cut the P20 off the bill so we ended up paying only P800.

Famous Indian Curry House

APM Mall
10 AM - 10 PM
Contact: Anjali @ 0923 9827790 / 512-2740
www.facebook.com/thefamousindiancurryhouse

============================
*The change of venue, according, to owner was because of holdup and robbery incidents in the past.

The White Tiger

The White Tiger is a novel by Aravind Adiga, a former correspondent of Time magazine who evinces India at its most realistic state as a nation. It is a piece of literature written very creatively from start to finish giving the reader the roller-coaster emotions of rage, delight, pride and the lack thereof. The author artistically made use of a WANTED sign to bring to light the history behind a gruesome murder. Although the story revolved around the main character, the author slowly unwrapped other key persons who played roles which consciously and unconsciously contributed to Balram's (the main character) frame of mind.

I personally found amusing how the first few pages of the narrative were written in such a way that a common Indian would have spoken the lines. It was very easy to drift into the feeling that all around you were glimpses of India. In fact, I got fixated that I never once thought the author was talking about another country other than that. The further I flipped through, the farther my imagination exposed me to the
caste system and into a deeply set culture that obstructed and limited success for certain groups of people in India. At one point, I was caught in thick road traffics and then ran into people who've been trafficked. There were times your nostrils had its fill of the sweet aroma of tea and candy while other times the stench of fresh spits of paan.

Balram was witness to the dirty tricks businessmen pull from their sleeves to buy immunity from government taxes. Little did he know, his frequent exposure to the unjust ways of the rich caused his ambition, once innocent and pure, to gradually evolve into lust and covetousness.

But Balram was very peaceable. He was kind and hardworking. He has gained the respect of his young boss, Ashok, who frequently had to come to his defense at blows of maltreatment. Was he unfairly set up to take responsibility of a crime he didn't commit? Was the murder out of self-defense? Or a product of a grown intention?

Buy yourself a new copy now or my only copy at P100. Contact me.