Beyond Bread 'n' Butter

Like the little boy in the Charles Dickens novel, when the object of my affection is 'vittles' I'm always on the look out for more, and Mr Bumble be drowned in goose's gravy for all I care.

I don't remember if I've mentioned this before, but the epicurean capital of Bihar is actually Bodh Gaya. I'm not into shameless promotions of all things Bihari yet, and I'm no great fan of the ubiquitous litti and chokha that most Biharis usually want to stuff down unsuspecting tourists' throats.

The praises of the litti I shall sing elsewhere, on a blog that is still in experimental mode. This post is unashamedly reserved for the promotion of Bodh Gaya as the best place to sample the food of the world at absolutely rock bottom prices.

I'm handing out five full stars to a small little glorified dhaba called the Fujiya Green Restaurant . Here is where you'll get an impressive bill of fare. So I ordered Macaroni and cheese, Macaroni with Mushrooms, and was amazed at the quality.. for as little as 45 rupees a plate. The Varieties of Thukpa, my favourite Sikkimese / Tibetan  food [mutton, chicken, egg, vegetable], flavoursome, fragrant and with the right amount of soup comes for under Rs 50 a bowl, and the helpings are generous. I recommend the Thai Fried Rice at a mere Rs 45. It can compare with what a fancy restaurant dishes out for Rs 125!

A breakfast with toast and butter, an omlette and lemon tea for two cost us a mere sixty rupees. Compare that with what my hotel was going to charge me: two slices of toast and a sliver of butter at Rs 40. The same menu  at Shashi International would have cost us Rs 180 plus taxes.

The Green has Japanese food, Thai food, Tibetan food, Continental food, and even serves its South Indian customers with well prepared dosas! I counted about eight varieties of teas, six varieties of porridge. If you're a nostalgic Naga, or a frazzled Frenchman, a befuddled Brit or a suspicious Scandinavian, a luscious Latino or an ornery Outlander looking for something that remotely tastes like home, this is it. It's a backpacker's delight. The food is well prepared. It's an eatery, and not a fancy restaurant.

When you enter, the waiter will hand you the menu and a writing pad. You have to jot down your own order. After the meal, the pad comes back to you, this time with the amount to be paid written beside your order. Absolutely no confusion. When in Bodh Gaya, go Fujiya Green. You'll be sure to do an Oliver!