Salad days for newcomer
Image credit: Nate Johnston on Unsplash
By Deepa Puri
Restaurants in India, specially those serving north Indian cuisine, serve sliced onions and green chillies along with the dishes ordered. It’s just something everyone expects.
After moving to Canada, it was a while before we were able to afford to eat out. So after my husband found a job, we decided to celebrate by going out for an Indian meal. We chose a popular Indian restaurant specializing in tandoori cuisine and ordered quite a few dishes – it was a special occasion after all.
The papads had been brought to the table soon after we sat down, but when our order came, there were no onions and green chillies accompanying the dishes.
My husband called the waitress and asked her if she could bring us some. She returned a few minutes later with a bowl of kachumbar – Indian salad with onions, green chillies, cucumbers and tomatoes.
My husband, who is allergic to raw tomatoes, asked her why she had brought those when all he’d requested were onions and green chillies.
“It’s a salad, sir,” she said, looking at me to enlist support.
Which annoyed my husband further. “I know a salad when I see one,” he announced, rather loudly, I admit. “I don’t want it, please take it away and bring us the onions and green chillies.”
She hastily removed the little bowl that was causing so much offence and came back with the manager in tow who was now holding the same bowl.
“Sir, I apologize for any misunderstanding,” he said. “The salad is listed on our menu, but is on the house for you, there will be no charge.”
While it’s true that we were expecting it to be free – after all, who charges for onions and green chillies? – it was not like we couldn’t afford the few extra dollars when we’d just ordered a large meal.
Then it dawned on us that they thought we were refusing the salad because we had to pay for it, not realizing an ingredient caused allergies.
By now, as my husband was sputtering in indignation, I explained the reason we couldn’t have raw tomatoes on our table.
They both apologized profusely again and withdrew. With the bowl. Another waiter appeared with what we had asked for and we were finally able to begin our celebratory dinner.
They didn’t charge us for the onions and green chillies, but since then, whenever we eat out, we make it a point to say we’ll pay for them when we ask the wait staff to bring us some onions and green chillies lest they think we’re hoping for a free salad!
What’s your story? Every newcomer, no matter how savvy or where he or she comes from, has a story to share about their early days in Canada. Do you want to share your story? E-mail it to us at canadaboundimmigrant@rogers.com