Lunch at the Food Court

The Food Court is the alternative dining spot to the guesthouse dining room.  I usually have lunch there because it is close to my office and it has some variety of vegetarian choices.  Here is the menu posted on the entry wall.  One US dollar is about 50 rupees. There are additional items on a piece of paper at the cashier.  Different items are available at different times and some items may be unavailable.   ‘Food Court’ is actually a single restaurant, not an American food court with several restaurants.  There are ample facilities to wash your hands.

You order and pay at the cashier, who gives you a slip you give to the guy at the counter.  From 12-1 there are no classes and the place is packed with students who chose not to eat at the hostel (dormitory) mega dining room that seats 2000.  I eat after 1PM.  All 6000 students live on campus.  The men are  mostly in several high rise hostels.  Women are 15-20% of the student body and have a separate living compound.

One of my favorite items is a masala dosa, a thin crunchy crepe with a spiced yummy potato and vegetable filling.  A good spicier variant is the Mysore masala dosa that has red chutney spread on the inside.  They are usually eaten for breakfast or a snack and are not available during the afternoon until after 3PM much to my disappointment.  The filling is in the center, so crease the ends with the side of your right hand, fold toward the center, start breaking off pieces, dip in the coconut curry.  It is served with sambar which can be used as a dip or eaten with a spoon. 

The Food Court also serves the basic South Indian lunch (see dinner post), a North Indian dinner (see menu above), uttappa (a flat thicker smaller diameter pour of the dosa batter topped with sauted onions, masala, tomato, or coconut), poori bahji (poori and masala), upma (breakfast or snack similar to thick grits in consistency but made with seminola, onion, nuts, raisens, and delicious spicing), and vegetarian Chinese food.  Lassi (delicious yogurt drink) and fresh squeezed fruit juices are served which I am told are very popular when it gets hot.