Delhi Belly
Why hasn't Indian food gone
mainstream yet?
Delhi
Belly?
I have to
confess: I’ve never really been a fan of Indian cuisine. If you know how
much of a food snob I am, this might come as a surprise since it’s one of
those ethnic cuisines foodies are supposed to love. But Indian food has always
struck me as overwrought: too many spices in the same dish. Indian food at
most mom-and-pop restaurants assaults my sinuses upon entry, and fatigues my
palate after a few forkfuls. But isn’t that what American consumers are
looking for today? Bold! Flavorful! Over the top!
If you look at
flavor trends, they tell us that Americans are clamoring for more intensity. And
not just with flavor: with heat, color, texture, you name it. Many Americans
think all Indian food is spicy. If this is true, shouldn’t they be
seeking it out, they way they seek spicy Thai food, Buffalo Wings, and
Flamin’ hot snack foods?
So why hasn’t
Indian cuisine caught on in mainstream America? Across the pond, Chicken Tikka
Masala is practically the national
dish.
If you’re
thinking that Indian food isn’t popular here because there simply
aren’t that many Indians living in the US, the argument is flawed. There
are 1.9 million people who classified themselves as Asian Indian in the 2000 US
Census. In contrast, only 1.2 million Vietnamese and 150,000 Thai (!) were
identified: two cuisines with much wider appeal than Indian.
Is it going to take
an Americanized chain restaurant to do for Indian what Taco Bell did for
Mexican, what Olive Garden did for Italian, or what PF Chang’s did for
Chinese food?
Maybe
the flavors are just too
exotic.
Why
HASN’T Indian food caught on with the masses? I’d love to hear your
opinions.
Posted: Mon - March 21, 2005 at 09:41 PM