The Best E...V...E...R!!!! Part Deux

Well, i just couldn't put this off any longer. Actually, its been a really busy couple days and i finally have the time. The Royals are off to the Grand Castle, and, as The Queen said last night..."its so...quiet". I do have to take a little side road before getting started due to the subject matter and the graphic nature of such.

Yesterday, i took the Royals up to the City to meet the Elder Court. We met halfway, which just happens to be at a Cracker Barrel...not bad that. Anyhoo, after making the switch of all the stuff i thought, "Man, i wish i could just open all the doors and pick this car up and shake it out. The things that you find under car seats can be...unnerving. But then, that's why we get rides with leather, the comfort is just the bonus, its the ease of cleaning that is the appeal. Practicality dear rubbernecker...practicality.

I can tell this is going to be a day of digression.

Upon my return, i stopped at an old hangout- Spices of India. It'd been awhile obviously...and almost $60 later i shlogged out with my bags of delightful comestibles. When i say i found some chutney...Dude, i hit the freaking comstock motherload! I got sweet/hot mango chutney, coriander chutney, tamarind date chutney...shall i continue? I got Chana Dhal (of course i just like saying that...Shshshana Doll), Dhana dahl, i got Bombay and Sindhi biryani, Tikka Botti, and hot curry paste! Keep going? I got mixes for butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, paneer makhanwalla and malabar chicken (of COURSE you don't have to use just chicken!) OK OK i'll quit, i know your salivating. But, anytime you wanna come over and see what all the fuss is about with the na'an and all, just lemme know, i'll whip up a little somethin that'll give you the curry dragon and cool it off with some mint chutney and cucumber raita.

OK, so you came here for the Top 4 and that's just what your gonna get.


Well, the above was a bit of a metastasis for this. Yea, the appetizer.

#4 Gopuram
Gopuram comes in at a solid delta position. If your going to go to an Indian (that's dot not feather) restaurant and you've never been before...hit the lunch buffet. Don't worry that you can't pronounce it...just put it in your mouth. Gopuram is a serious experience of southern India complete with gold curtained small rooms with ornate low tables where you can recline on large elaborate pillows and DINE! Lamb Biryani, palak paneer slathered over a bed of yellow saffron rice...Lord, just get me a stretcher when i walk in and smell the vindaloo curry. Na'an, chapati, raitas, chutney's, tandoori chicken, beef khorma, spinach (palak) paneer, shish kabab's...i gotta stop right there...i just can't...another entree and i'm burning a tank of gas. Oh wait...the coconut rice pudding at the end, you know, when you've had two platefuls too much and there's a bowl of rice pudding (Kheer) with the little pistachios on top sitting in front of you...just don't touch me when i'm done...i will erupt.

#3 Sala Thai

MamaLou (Happy Five-O by the way...i'll explain later) had posted not long ago about a restaurant they went to while living in Red River, NM where the stars also came out to eat. Well, i suppose Sala Thai would be that place for me. Apparently, Mick Jagger's ex-mother in law ironically lives in OKC, and he still loves to see her so The Stones make a tour stop there and when they do they order from Sala Thai. This little sub five foot Thai woman can throw out some Vittles. Her lunch buffet is small, but jam packed with flavor. Green curry, red curry, Masaman on chicken, pork, beef...a curried potatoes that is just....and oh my gawd in the Fall she lays out this deeeelectible pumpkin curry that sends you reeling into dreamland. There is NO better pad thai or pad kra pao anywhere in this entire country, yes possibly equal to, but not better. She always has condiments of toasted peanuts, fish sauce w/ thai peppers, red pepper flakes and of course soy on hand. In the evenings you can order off the menu, and then she ratchets the flavor up even more, she'll make it as hot as you can take it...and the hotter you ask her the bigger her smile...and of course...mine. Sadly, it has undergone a management change and the food has declined, but, the memories are still there and my love for Thai food was begat at that small table over in the corner by the rickshaw.

Well, you've squandered another five minutes...or 10 if you clicked on the links...or 15 if you had to get a towel for wiping the slobber off yer chin... you'll have to tune in tomorrow for the Top 2, its lunchtime and i've worked myself into a pretty good lather.