T here does deem to have been a disconnect between Indian restaurants in the US and those in the UK and around the world. I feel that the cuisine has not gained the respect it deserves, probably because of its reputation for being spicy hot and vegetable forward in a country where meat and potatoes rule.

Real Melting Pot Over the past 30 to 40 years the food culture in America has been transformed by the addition of Mexican, Latin, and various Asian additions. These small, family owned restaurants were the gateway to success for immigrants from all over the world and we are so much better for their efforts. I'm concentrating on Indian cuisine here, and frankly, it has lagged behind many other countries in gaining the respect it deserves. I believe the reason was (I say was because this is much less true today) that Indians cooked and served for Indians, meaning their family style curries with rice and bread, low prices, and in many cases, a waitstaff decidedly not fluent in English were barriers to acceptance by a large non-Indian clientele. They opened their restaurants close to each other, and served basically the same menu, North Indian, Punjabi, Pakistani dishes. Thankfully, all of this has been changing for a good while now and the variety of Indian restaurants and menus is really terrific. The clientele is shifting as more and more people discover the world of ingredients and flavors available and more and more restaurants offer dishes from the shores of Goa to the heigts of the Himalayas. Let the respect for the hard working cooks and chefs creating these delicious dishes gain more of your respect with each visit.

As we go along, I will be exploring many different areas of the country by their cuisine. I'm not a chef, not a traveler or a restaurauteur. But I've had well over 30 years to find out how varied and beautiful the cuisine of the subcontinent can be and i've done it be dining at the best and the worst, the newest and the venerable. I've watched and spoken with and have been yelled at by a lot of chefs and owners and I've learned a few things. Time to share.

Styles

This is another change that makes a difference. For years the interiors of every Indian restaurants seemed to have the same few pictures and statues on a bright yellow wall with a cheap buffet taking up half the dining room. I apologize to buffet lovers, but it did nothing for the look, feel or even the bottom line of the restaurant. Glad to see them disappearing and being replaced with some very interesting, comfortable, and stylish dining rooms that compare favorably with the latest openings.