A Taste of India: A Taste of Home
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Art captures the essence of something that is beautiful to an individual or a group of individuals. In this case, art captures the essence of a culture; a strong flavor that provides an ethnic background to the lives the people hold. I decided to spend this week’s “art event” doing something a little different. Up until now, I have explored the conventional art: a museum gallery where works are purposely displayed to be admired. This week, I’ve decided to venture out into the Delhi Palace— a delicious mixture of various types of art.
74th street is a busy one full of many different Indian restaurants and clothing stores. The saturation of culture that rests within this one street is the perfect place to go to satisfy my inner Indian needs. This restaurant can be easily missed if one does not wish to find it. 74th street is a bright and colorful place, even at night. Its trees are all decorated with bright Christmas-like lights and vibrant flags hang from high places. Delhi Palace does not stand out like a palace would. In fact its maroon sign and simple design hide it amongst other ordinary buildings. But upon entering, one can realize it is very wise not to judge a book by its cover.
The inside of the restaurant is enormous: the ceilings are high, the seats are grand, and the walls are vast. There are many other components that make up the wonderful art that is Delhi Palace: the food, the friendly people, the decorations, and the theme. However, the one component that struck me the most was the theme. There is more to the restaurant than just the sign that says Delhi Palace and Indian Cuisine. In fact I am surprised by how homey this one restaurant can make me feel, especially since I am not at all Indian.
Because I am already familiar with the settings of an Indian household due to the visits to my close friends’ homes, Delhi Palace seems just another home to visit. The minute I walked inside Delhi Palace I was surprised by a great splash of yellow. All the walls of the restaurant were painted with a mellow yellow paint, which sets the mood of warmth and openness. It is much more preferable than the completely white walls that can be found in most other restaurants.
Another factor that creates such a homey feel at the restaurant are the paintings. The paintings depicted active scenes in a daily Indian’s life. Because religion portrays such an enormous impact in the homes of many of my Indian friends, they also have similar paintings in their homes. This painting depicts a man preparing wheat on one side and the deity Hanuman of the Hindu religion to the left of him. The colors, very much like the walls of the restaurant, are warm and welcoming. The vibrant effect provides an overall glow to the restaurant.
There are other subtle aspects that create this theme of an Indian home. One came from a saying placed on the menu: “Namaste.” It is a saying to honor and welcome whoever enters Delhi Palace. Indian homes are also warm and welcoming; they are more than happy to invite anyone into their humble homes. Delhi Palace also serves its food in regular containers found in any Indian household. The fresh, thin appetizers are served in a simple woven basket that even I own in my house. The dips are placed in a metal container that has three different compartments each for its own exquisite flavor. The rice and the okra dish are also left in similar metal bowls and dishes. Although the restaurant does provide glass dishes, they aren’t fancy china porcelain or anything of the sort. The simple tableware allows room for comfort as if it is an Indian home and not a gourmet restaurant.
The waiters are also extremely friendly. They continued to offer me water even when my glass was nearly full. They constantly asked if everything was okay or if I needed anything else. They offered everything with a smile and treated me as a guest instead of a customer. Their friendliness went beyond the ideal for good waiters; they extended hospitality to me, opening up a part of their own culture-filled homes to strangers who wished to know more.
Delhi palace is a wonderful place to visit. It is more than a restaurant. The theme of the restaurant leads me to believe that it is a home: a warm and welcoming one that lets whoever wishes to taste the culture to enter.
