Thai vs. Indian: Fight!

So I failed to get Thai food last night, as often happens on a Tuesday because the freaking restaurant is closed! Yes, that's right a popular San Francisco restaurant closed on a Tuesday. Alas, Tuesdays for some reason seem to be the day that I want to order take out. I've run into this problem a number of times now and still never remember until I call. Instead I went with Indian food. There's a great little Indian restaurant on Frederick and Arguello, next to Kezar Stadium, called New Ganges. It's actually an all-vegetarian Indian restaurant. It's very reminiscent of Vancouver, B.C. for me because there were so many vegetarian Indian restaurants there. I think I ate all-you-can-eat veggie Indian buffets almost every week-- at different restaurants too! So I like to support this place when I can.

I haven't eaten there in a while because the owner honestly drives me crazy. He's one of those people who thinks he can convince you of something or change your mind when all you want to do is order your favorite dish. It got so bad that I wouldn't go in there to eat and started only ordering take out. Then the take out got annoying because he would try to convince you over the phone. If I was the one to pick up the order he would harass me with kindness in the restaurant. Giving me mango juice and flowers. After a while all you want is to pay for your food and go. It's doesn't have to be a long interaction.

But the food is generally amazing. You can tell that it's all actually freshly made. The samosas are not frozen and then re-heated when you order. The food is not super greasy, though sometimes it can be overly spicy. Last night was perfect. When I called some woman took my order. She asked if I wanted it mild, medium or spicy. Since I've had super spicy things there before (so spicy no one at the table can eat them) I erred on the side of mild. She sounded shocked and asked again to confirm. "You want it all mild?!" As if such a thing had never happened before. Since I knew that D would prefer spicier and since I am slightly sick still I rescinded and suggested medium. And it was spicy. But in a good way. And the crazy owner was not there when I went to pick it up so I was very happy. Alas, he was not there to give me the special vegan dessert that he sometimes does but that thing never tasted good anyway.

Indian food is not terribly macrobiotic unless you happen to live in India. Generally it's too spicy and tropical in a way that macrobiotics frowns upon. But the last few days have been unseasonable warm here so spicy food makes sense suddenly. Normally (or at least during the summer) I need warm, filling food that you usually find in the middle of winter. But a nice spring day when it's actually warm is the perfect time for some spicy food. I was also trying to cure myself of a cold so spicy food helps with that too.