Last weekend, I went to a local ex-pat butcher and got good ground beef and we had hamburgers - that hit the spot.
Millers 46 Deccan Herald Link
Last night we went to a 'steakhouse'. Mistake. Not that it was that bad, but we had our hopes up and we so tired that we couldn't laugh at the results. Jake about lost it, but hung in there. This place was called Miller 46 and billed it's self as based on the legend some guys named Miller. The waiters, these scrawny India (and some Asian types) dressed in these funky western shirts. They had some tequila drinks that would kill you. But they had steak and baked potatoes, so Jake asks for a bacon burger and baked potato. The chef comes out to consult and tells him that the bacon burger is *just* bacon on a roll. So we rethink and out comes this huge hamburger. But you would never know how engineered the US hamburger buns are, because they just don't have it here and this bun just fell apart. The potato was about 2 1/2 inches around and the fully loaded, was some butter and runny sour cream. Then we ordered apple pie.
Oh my. . .
But the steak Thomas and I ordered was decent and Jake got a second potato and we went home and crashed. We (they) are learning that what the menu says here may not translate to our expectations and to always have a fallback meal in mind (did I tell you I paid $5 for a jar of American PB - that's our fallback sometimes - and I have more coming in our shipment, so we'll be fine)
Today we went to church in the morning and came home and made spagetti for lunch - the boys appreciated a home cooked meal even if the spagetti sauce was to spicy - this was a jar of 'pizza' sauce that we thought would work, but it didn't. Yesterday we went to a bakery that was recommended and they also had some jars of Ragu spagetti sauce. Might have to go back there. Then we took a nap and then we went to the biggest local temple today and then to the mall. Seeing all sides of things, I guess.
I will tell you that it is exhausting getting around here. It took about an hour to get to the temple because the driver got lost. From there to the mall, then to another shopping district. We were only out for about 4 hours and we were all wiped when we came back. Some of it may be the heat, but it's hard being a passenger, with the way the cars stop, start, slow down, swerve, honk, flash headlights. It could be the bombardment of images. It could be because it's hard being stared at, even when you are in the car (but I can't complain, because we are staring back).
Oh, and there is a donkey cart station about a block from this new service apartment. About 4 carts all parked and the donkeys tied to stone blocks with feedbags. That explains the donkey stampede my friend saw when he was staying here. I also walked up the local market street and saw the mutton shop (with carcasses hanging) and the chicken shop (live chickens - pick your own), among other specialties. There was a cart that I think was either selling pots and pans or collecting them, not sure.
And in one of the shopping areas we found the Bangalore Ham shop and bought some bacon. We are still looking for eggs that I think would be safe to eat. Of the 2 grocery stores I've been to, one didn't carry them and the other kept them out by the cash register that wasn't going to work for me. (note - we are eating eggs now - the taste richer than the eggs in the US)
