Photo by Mahika Kukday | The Crow’s Nest
By Mahika Kukday
Everyone chooses to invest in different things. My biggest investment is the pure, unbridled joy that sharing a leisurely meal and good conversation brings me.
A few such experiences stand out for me.
A dinner so lovely and so healing that it’s become the standard for every culinary outing comes to mind, a four-hour affair at a British restaurant in Paris.
Four of us culinary school kids secured a reservation at L’Entente in Oct. 2021. It was a white tablecloth restaurant with embossed steel blue leather menus; the ambience was classy enough to create that tingly excitement of a sophisticated outing, but not so upscale as to alienate us.
We diverted from our typical plan of each ordering one of the hearty main dishes as soon as we saw the Scotch eggs in the appetizers list. We made our way through all four courses, each sampling a different appetizer, main, dessert and post-dessert drink.
Photo by Mahika Kukday | The Crow’s Nest
Photo by Mahika Kukday | The Crow’s Nest
From the expertly crafted beef wellington to the faultless sticky toffee pudding, every bite was better than the last. We were high on the satisfaction of some very well spent euros and the coziness of our lively conversation for weeks after.
The memory still makes me smile to this day. I made a few more like that recently.
Last week, I returned from my last ever college spring break trip. I spent five days in New York City staying with my best friend from school in India, Maansi. We were the duo in high school, and it was so surreal staying with the girl I’ve known since fifth grade in her first big-girl apartment as she worked her first big-girl job.
My dad lived in New Jersey during my first two years at USF, so I’m no stranger to the Big Apple. But no matter how tired or outdated this opinion might seem to some, I can’t get enough of the city.
I thrive on its electric energy and its unbothered locals, the sights and smells so overwhelming they make you feel alive. To some, it’s understandably draining, but to me, it’s like being plugged into a fast charger. It makes me feel capable and full of possibility.
Now keep in mind, Maansi and I are both avid foodies and it’s quite possible that our love of eating and drinking outside contributes to how much we love New York.
We called my mom to help us make a popular Indian breakfast called sabudana, a stir fried spicy and peanut-y version of tapioca balls, which we royally messed up but thoroughly enjoyed nonetheless.
Maansi accompanied me to a new specialty coffee shop every day and I was thrilled to try vegan restaurants with her, since she’s allergic to dairy and egg. Who knew a shawarma made of celeriac could be so divine?
One of the things my mind keeps coming back to is a beef carpaccio I had with Sitara, my closest friend from culinary school. When I met Sitara on my first day at Le Cordon Bleu, her giant smile was visible through her COVID-19 mask and she was introducing herself to everyone she met.
I knew we’d be friends then. We inevitably parted ways after graduating, but she’s become one of those easy adult friends where even months of no communication can’t shake the bond.
Sitara moved to Brooklyn three years ago to be a chef. Recently, she started working at the famed Gramercy Tavern.
While our Sunday brunch was perfect, the familiar rhythms of an old friendship coming back as assuredly as the sun rises in the morning, it was the drinks and desserts at Gramercy Tavern that stuck with me.
Even though we were full, she insisted that we try the beef carpaccio appetizer. While I’m not usually one for thinly sliced raw meat, this was a plate I would lick until sparkling.
Photo by Mahika Kukday | The Crow’s Nest
It was topped with generous slabs of sharp grana padano cheese, a relative of parmesan, bitter broccoli rabe, and an anchovy aioli that was savory and creamy. It blew my mind, as did the complimentary wine pairing.
Watching her team members warmly welcome the rare chance to serve her and following her as she gave me the tour of her stomping grounds, I was overcome with pride and a newfound take on my youth.
The many stressors of life can seem all-consuming. I’m a month away from graduation and the reality of adulting is weighing heavily on my shoulders. But that doesn’t mean I can’t eat appetizers I don’t usually eat or drink wine I don’t usually drink and meet friends I haven’t met in years.
Our boxes are comfortable because we know their corners in and out. Trust me, I love my boxes. Writer, dancer, cook. But I’m also someone of many passions and I’m tired of being scared; scared of whether my old friends and I won’t be the same as before and if I’ll look stupid trying something new.
Five days in New York City taught me that there’s few things as powerful as taking life as it comes. Like Sitara’s huge Gramercy Tavern family and Maansi’s supportive coworkers at her new firm, you’ll find new comfort zones, even when it’s scary.
So, as cliché as it sounds, chances are at that every opportunity you’ve been scared to take will make you feel most alive. Book the trip to New York. Catch up with an old friend. Drink fancy wine and eat carpaccio.
