Lovely things I ate this week:

Most of these pictures were taken with an iPhone.

Joan’s perfect Quiche Lorraine
And melange of fresh fruit

My very own, first, lobster tail.

Shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce and plenty of horseradish

Joe’s perfectly seasoned, medium rare, tender steak. 



Surabhi, Please. 
For the past two weeks, my mind was not filled with visions of sugar plums or candy canes.  Rather, I was pre-occupied with making a beeline towards the vibrant and spicy offerings of Surabhi.

My growing Surabhi lovesong has been chronicled on Herbalist Eats in several posts from June and April of this year.  This past week, my blogger friend Chad from You Care What We Think also visited Surabhi’s lunch buffet for the first time and shared his thoughts.  Though hyperbolic, I found myself pondering the phrase, “I need to eat Surabhi or I will die.”

Crying over spilt Surabhi
On our last evening, we called in a glutenous take-out order of Thali meals to share.  We giddily claimed our treasure trove of spicy food and made the long drive home.  We parked the car and as I lifted the large bag of food from the back seat, containers literally tumbled through the bottom of the now-disintegrated paper bag, into the leafy curb.  For a moment, my heart sank.  We hunched over the dark sidewalk, trying to save our Surahbi.  I victoriously fished out a half-filled container of raita and as I lifted it into the air to show Jake, it also crumbled between my fingers and splattered all over the car.

On a dark sidewalk in St. Paul, I cried over spilt raita.  
Fortuantely, we were able to salvage the majority of the food and enjoy the rest of our evening.

The aftermath.

We ordered our usual bhindi masala, palek paneer, mixed tandoor grill, and garlic naan.  The Thali meals included flavorful dipping sauces and curries including additions that had not been included in past visits such as a silky and spicy coconut chutney and curried chickpeas.

Curried chickpeas

We also added vegetable korma, my new favorite.  This addictive curry included creamy vegetables, crunchy bits of cashews, and a smooth, rich gravy that was hot enough to induce sweat.

Vegetable Korma

Everything was satisfying.  Everything was as flavorful as was spicy.

In Fargo, we have been exploring the limited variety of foods of different ethnicities and cultures, and order many things extra spicy.  However, our food often arrives tame in regards to heat, flavor, and funk.  Is there a secret password that I do not know?  Do I have to literally beg and plead for authenticity and chilies?  Offer to sign a waiver?  Promise not to become angry?  Please.  Somebody.  Give this Korean girl some spicy food that will save me a trip to the Twin Cities and curb my growing, spice-depraved, confusion-turning-desperation.

As we find ourselves gliding into 2012 from Fargo, I humbly beg for fiery recommendations and tips while I empty bottle after bottle of TOBASCO brand Habanero hot sauce into my face.

Not pictured: Chelsea’s amazing banana-chocolate chip pancakes and quiche from Butter Bakery and Cafe.