I am willing to bet that two thousand quid is way too much for curry, no matter how exotic sounding it might be.
That is the audacious price tag on the Samundari Khazana curry (Seafood Treasure?) a mix of caviar, sea snails, whole lobster and edible gold served at London’s Bombay Brasserie.
The ingredient’s list: Devon crab, white truffle, Beluga caviar, abalone, Scottish lobster, quails' eggs and more caviar.
What makes it expensive is also perhaps the amount of sweat (pun intended for those in the know) that goes into the curry.
At least the recipe calls for something traditional: the seafood is apparently marinated in tamarind juice; so it’s not all pure exotica.
A wise man (actually it was Martin Yan of Yan can Cook) said good food takes time to prepare, but it does need that special touch to make it from good to great.
The special touch can range from mom’s home cooking to the company the food is shared with.
How many times have you gone “hmm… exquisite” (well, not literally) during wine and dine (again, not literally) sessions just because; one, you are with a special someone, and, two; you are bloody paying an arm and a leg (plus a few others in between) for Le plat du jour.
The breakfast place I frequent during my studying days serves a kicking seafood sandwich and its nothing more than crabstick in mayo vegetable salad in croissant. Cost less than a Mars bar, even.
While Greek Kebab with crunchy red cabbages and chunky mutton makes wintry evening strolls warm and fuzzy.
An in the dead corner of the world, run down, eatery (for lack of a better word) in Sungai Lui near Cheras offers the best grilled (a mild word to use, really, as the freshwater fish is virtually charred on the outside) Tilapia I’ve ever had.
Never mind the fact that it only opens from 7pm and is miles from anywhere.
When I was in Perak, everyone was talking about a certain ikan bakar place which was the rave, prompting a visit with my better half for a bite.
It was nothing compared to Sg Lui (admittedly our favorite) but what put us off the place forever was the owner’s unabashed overcharging.
He went yada yada yada and plonks a high figure without even a hint of adding up figures to make the total.
Would I have mind it much had the grilled offerings been heavenly? Probably not.
Kowtowing is never good taste anyway.
Grace Patricia Kelly (1929 – 1982)
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