Food is not just a simple answer to hunger. Good food stimulates mental ability, unless there is an overdose resulting in cerebral snooze. I am travelling presently in Shatabdi (Chennai-Bangalore) and guess what – They served one of the better meals I have had travelling. This particular train has had a proud history of satisfying customers with outstanding service. They still stand by it.
The menu set for this 5 hour travel encompasses more than just the dinner. With a welcome drink to begin, they satiate your appetite with a crunchy nibble of Samosa , a thin sandwich, a traditional sweet and follow it up with tea/coffee to wash it down. Your tummy then gets rest for a while only if you please to keep the on-demand beverage service away. And at sharp 7 PM, the soup sticks come out with a generous serving of butter, which is followed up with a cup of soup. Ah! The precursor to the victuals thus sets a high expectation to the dinner to come. But they don’t disappoint you. The main course is simple. Two well done rotis which are relatively soft, a chana dal gravy, paneer butter masala, a cabbage-carrot dry curry, a salad and small bowl of rice with pickle and curd. The chana dal is thick and I need a spoon to dig in. The paneer masala has real good paneer in it and has more than 7-8 pieces. The rice is thin and clean. The cabbage-carrot mix has minimal oil and retains their indigenous crunchy taste. The curd is thick and again necessitates the use of a spoon. And yes you aint done yet – If you have a sweet tooth you would be glad to see a cup of amul icecream hop your way. And a little tip can augur well to repeat anything that you like.
If I have to wear my microscopic lens to come out with a suggestion to improve, then I may crib about the salad not being as fresh as the rest. But even that scores much higher than the food that we get in our airline industry. The airlines need to take a lesson or two when it comes to food from this express. It doesn’t mean that I am demeaning the airlines, as they can impart many a lessons on cleanliness, maintenance, infrastructure etc.
As you ponder about this piece of my judgment, let me enjoy my second cup of icecream which has been offered out of bounteousness.
