Planet Earth is chalk full of people. A blatantly obvious observation, we know, yet it's becoming more and more obvious as the decades roll on. Not to traipse down too philosophical a path, but our world is growing, people are mixing, and, unfortunately, people are fighting. Yet even amidst all this anger and disagreement, borders and threats, there is the possibility for harmony. One such possibility might be easy for us to recognize, or should be. We'll die without it.
Food. Each culture has its own culinary traditions, its own unique recipes, plus everyone loves to eat! Why in the world can't we all sit around a table, or on the floor, or in a tree, and just share some food? The world would be a more peaceful and prosperous place if everyone's bellies were full, we'd bet on it. Luckily, there are places where such fusions occur, wonderful havens of intermingling cuisines, embodying the nutritional values of multiple regions, yet honed into one meal. The meal. Of the future.
What do you get when you combine the world's fastest growing population with the world's largest economy? Lot's of outsourcing, for one. But you also get places like Cardamom & Curry, located at 1466 N. College in Fayetteville, where Hindustani meets Hillbilly Nation. An Englishman, a Chinese man, and an Indian strolled in on a Tuesday night, hoping for a lesson in cohabitation. They got it, and some food to boot. Here's what they thought...
Our dinner rating system is structured within four primary categories: Atmosphere, Food, Service, and Value For Money (rather than Lunch Bargain, duh). We base our scores out of a possible ten points per category--typical stuff, we know. But this is where our ratings diverge! Sure, we count up the numbers, but they don't have so much to do with the restaurant's overall score. That, friends, is our pride and joy: a celebrity tribute, where we define a restaurant's personality with a famous person's name. Cool, huh? Ya, we know.
To say Mike was excited to try some Indian fusion would be an understatement. That, and it would be discounting the genuine glee Harvey and Qi felt, as well - Qi is a spicy food vacuum, literally, he thrives on spice. While Harvey made it abundantly clear that, "curry is England's national dish." - So, let's be frank...We were all beyond excited, and had talked about this place for weeks!
That excitement nearly crumbled at around 7:45 p.m., when an Englishman, a Chinese Man, and an Indian arrived on the scene. Upon first glance, it was unclear if the place was open. The outdoor signage wasn't on, nor could we see lights on inside. Luckily, and only after a creepily slow drive by the front doors, we saw that they were open, Yay! Be wary, if the place looks closed, it might not be.
Qi lost himself in their music, which shifted from jazz to folk to...whatever else you'd find on a hip person's playlist. As he so eloquently posed it, "people who listen to NPR would come here on a date." That's a solid rating. SCORE 7/10
Bathrooms
We believe bathrooms are crucial enough to be a subcategory of Atmosphere, deserving of its own score. Harvey reports that the bathrooms, located conveniently by the entrance, are "like a warm hug. Clean for a curry joint." What he means is, a patron could comfortably handle their non-eating business, which is often necessary when curry is on the menu. SCORE 8/10
FOOD As Mike can attest, there's little chance of eating Indian food and not feeling like an Indian afterwards. That is, full to bursting and in need of a good walk. But you'll love every minute of it, trust us. Cardamom & Curry does Indian food justice with their serving sizes, and we ordered a lot! (See their menu above, with convenient descriptions on the back) As it was dinner, we felt obliged to drink some beer. Qi and Harvey ordered individual 22 oz. bottles of Kingfisher, while Mike (a responsible driver) settled for an 11 oz. bottle of Amstel light. A proper way to whet our palates, but let's move on to the edibles! |
No, no. We're not done yet! Not without the sweets! Harvey was the first to break, a testament to our talented server. We were upsold on the Mango Sorbet, a deliciously cold treat served in a cocktail glass. The texture seemed very much mango, yet chilled to an ice cream consistency, topped with toasted coconut flakes for added crunch. Nothing soothes Delhi Belly like sorbet! SCORE 6.5/10
Like any self-appointed foodie, we studied the menu before visiting Cardamom & Curry, and what we saw was moderate to higher prices. In many ways, this is to be expected when eating organic and healthier fare. Add in exotic allure and that's a fine dining experience! But we at Faylunchin believe that the cost was well-reflected in the sizes of the meals, as well as the quality. Consider this: if you and three friends visit Cardamom & Curry, there will be plenty of food to share, including appetizers and desserts, not to mention food to box up for home. So, when you're double date is complete, and you're breathing in some Fresh Air (with Terry Gross, that is), rest assure that you spent your money like an Indian would: thrifty, yaar! SCORE 7/10
Our server was a rare combination of wit, knowledge, and salesmanship. More than most of the servers we've met, she struck up conversations to set the mood. For instance, when she caught us glancing at the sketches of herbs along the wall, she said, "beautiful, aren't they? The chef drew those." She then went on to explain how cool he and his girlfriend were, which actually made our mouths water even more. Likewise, she eagerly explained what she enjoyed from the menu, a list that seemed to shift with her expanding knowledge of Indian spice. Lastly, she was the riveter, the one who established our perception of Cardamom & Curry as a restaurant, which is to say, not your typical Indian restaurant. Rather, an intriguing offshoot full of new surprises. Once that idea was planted in our heads, we were enthusiastic, willing to try anything they could throw our way. Also, did we mention she was generous with the naan?
SCORE 9/10
By now, you could wager that our celebrity score will probably be someone of Indian descent. You wouldn't be wrong, you little genius you. However, how many Indian actresses and actors do you actually know? Bollywood is taking the world by storm, yet half of their names would go unrecognized in the States. That's okay, some of the names are hard. Therefore, we skipped over some of the "unknowns", even if they're royalty overseas: Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (okay, you might know her), Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji (the dance goddess, see here). In fact, here's a whole list of Indian talent, for your own enrichment.
No, we're going with an Indian you know well. He's a wonderful testament to what good can come from the blending of two cultures. You'll laugh at his Indian jokes, you'll relate to his stance on dating, on sex, and on Kanye West. Yes people, an Englishman, a Chinese Man, and an Indian award Cardamom & Curry with the celebrity score of....