It was the year of 1998, the place was the capital of India. The co-actors were my elder sister and her boyfriend (now better known as Jambo urf Brother(Big B)-in-law).
The stage was set for a great day, apart from me being the bone in the perfect setting.
Yes, I proudly state that I intruded their date and made it a formal meeting. Ha ha ha. It feels so good to smell something burning ain’t it!
We went to Priya’s..a famous movie theater in Delhi. To watch Godzilla( didn’t understand why they needed to watch that movie, when they could have just glanced at me !)
But the part after the movie was a better one. We all went to eat at Nirula’s a restaurant chain like McDonalds. And there I tried something different. Some crispy stuff..with lot of white semi-solid or rather jelly(reminded me of something else) thing with lots of capsicum and slices of chicken in it. And they said, its name is “Pizza”. And instantly I though these guys have a liking to things with “I”,”z” and “a” in it( irrespective of the order).
Though I didn’t like it at the first go, but thought of it as a food which can be had when all options have been exhausted.
Year 2001. I had already moved to Kolkata for my studies. And by this time a Pizza restaurant chain was making waves in the city. The name was “Pizza Hut”. I had a notion that it would be like a dhaba serving Pizza with lassi! Man the name “Hut” confused me.
And one of my roommate was a Pizza fanatic (though think the fanaticism has died after his marriage). So, we ventured into the “Hut” unknown.
The only thing that resembled “Hut” was me……. Nothing else! They had a bell too. May be you needed to ring it to call for service!
On the table were chilli flakes, oregano seasonings(I knew it a lot later) but where did the usual salt and pepper go? Weird isn’t it?
And this is how it started. We ordered, we ate and we did have a good time. The matter of fact is when surrounded by friends even the most ridiculous things, even the most embarrassing stuff seems like fun!
Till we were in college every month we did have Pizza Delivery at our place. By this time there was something known as Domino’s Pizza too. We feasted. We utilized every offer those Pizza chains had thrown at us.
I still remember we all huddling around a box waiting for it to open so that we can paw down the largest slice. And in doing that we used to spread the cheese and the toppings all over. Pizza – the fun food, we used to call it!
But, I did have one of the amazing pizza’s just after I completed my 2nd sem. I went to Delhi to visit my Sister and brother-in-law. And my sister prepared pizza that day. I would be damned if don’t tell this, ”It is still the most amazingly tasty pizza I ever had.”
Oh! No what have I done. How can I praise my sister’s cooking in public, when I never even have said “Good food”, when she prepares those for me! She must be “one” time lucky! Let’s give it to her.
These days, you have all sort of Pizza corners..”Papa John”, “Pizza Port”, “Pizza Corner”(Don’t know where they find a corner in a pizza..may be they make the square shaped pizza.)
And when you stay late in office or work over time, Pizza is the one thing you order. Not out of love. But it is quick to eat. You can have it right at your desk. Bill gets reimbursed without hassles. They sometimes do provide complementary offers, so more for the tummy!
I never though of it before writing the blog. Great seems Pizza does increase your logical power. Just kidding! But it does add to my gigantic figure!
luv 'n' luk
Arnab Chakraverty
