Running head: Panna II Food Critique 1

International Palette: Panna II

Krystal Aponte

BUF 4300-E065

Dr. Adomaitis

New York City College of Technology

March 10, 2020

Panna II Food Critique 2

a. How were you addressed when you entered into the restaurant? Did you need to make reservations? How long was the wait before you were seated?

Upon arrival to Panna II Indian restaurant in East Village, there were three restaurants around it that served the same food and had a similar ambiance. Each one had a host standing outside shouting for anyone walking by to come in. “Come try the best Indian food in Manhattan!”, They all shouted. However, the host for Panna II knew my group was there for his restaurant, so with a sly grin he laughed and said, “Their food is no good, come inside.” The restaurant was busy, but reservations were made earlier in the day so once my friends and I entered, we were seated immediately. b. What are the cultural differences you noticed? Using your five senses of taste, touch, sight, smell & sound describe some of the cultural differences that you are not accustomed to in comparison to All-American restaurant or restaurant chains. For example, one can describe but not limited to the sights in the restaurant decor, odors from unusual foods, and sounds from music. One should use all five-senses in this cultural experience.

There were some cultural differences compared to American restaurants. When you enter the restaurant the first thing you see are all the illuminating chili pepper lights and Christmas tree lights hanging from the ceiling, along with mirrored balls and sequined globes. The walls seemed to be wrapped in a red foil wallpaper, which made it feel like you were sitting inside of a Christmas tree. The seats were somewhat uncomfortable as they were small wooden chairs covered with a thick, red tapestry fabric, and the table was covered with a soft white tablecloth. The music that was playing was a variation of Indian music. Some songs were slow and relaxing while others were exciting and upbeat. All played at a good volume so customers can enjoy the music while being able to hear each other speak. There was a slight aroma of curry throughout the restaurant, which is a common ingredient used in Indian cuisine. The food tasted like an assortment of spices that all came together beautifully, spices that you wouldn’t necessarily find in American cuisine.

Another cultural difference I noticed was that not only were the seats and tables close together but the waitstaff also spoke and stood to each other with little space between them. According to Sternquist (1998) space is defined as “The distance between two people in conversation.” Speaking closely to one another is very common in Indian culture. Unlike American culture where people like speak to each other with some distance between them. c. Look at the menu. What are the types of foods they offer? What are some unusual items? Do they describe the ingredients in the food? List various food items from the menu. What menu items did you order? Is there more than one language used to describe the foods on the menu?

Panna II offers Indian food, and although it is a different culture some meals were recognizable. For example, chicken tikka masala or samosas. Some unusual items were papadum and piazi. Each item was given their cultural name and although it did not specify the ingredients, it did describe what was included in the meal and how it was cooked in English underneath the titles. Some items that stood out to me were slyhet saag, kahn vindaloo and aloo mottor gobi. As an appetizer my friends and I ordered a mixed appetizer which included chicken and vegetable samosas, banana fritters, piazi, and papadum. For the main entree I ordered a chicken tikka masala with a side of saffron rice, and for dessert I had mango ice cream. d. Is a traditional salad offered? If not, describe what is offered. What types of breads are offered? (flat, pita, tortilla chips)? What type of desserts (cheesecake, fortune cookie, coffee)? What are they like?

When we first sat at our table, we were given chips called papdi which looked like a thin tortilla chip and was paired with two different sauces, tamarind with vinegar which was sweet and savory and parsley with mint which was spicy. A traditional green salad was offered as an appetizer along with mushroom salad and chef’s salad. There was a section on the menu specifically for bread. The different

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breads that were offered were paratha (thick Indian bread), naan (pita bread), poori (deep fried fluffy bread), and flatbread. Their dessert menu was very simple and only consisted of firni (rice pudding), mango ice cream, and birthday cake. e. What types of beverages are offered? Do they have an alcohol menu? What is not typically offered in an American chain restaurant?

What makes Panna II stand out amongst other Indian restaurants as well as American chain restaurants is that every night is BYOB (bring your own bottle) meaning that you can run to the local liquor store and bring your own bottle of wine, beer etc. They do not have an alcohol menu, but they offer soft drinks, tea, and coffee. Something that is not typically offered in American restaurants but offered at Panna II and popular in the Indian culture is a drink called lassi. Lassi is a smoothie made with sour yogurt, milk and sugar. It can be made salty or sweet or with flavors like mango, strawberry or banana. f. How is the food reflective of the cultural geography and the economics geography? (i.e. spices are abundant in India which is rich in spices & fish (sushi) is popular in Japan & it is part of the G8). Describe approximately where in the world (continent & location) and from which country this culture’s food is best known.

The food is reflective of the cultural geography because most of the spices used in their meals originate in India. For example, some spices used in chicken tikka masala are turmeric, coriander, clove and cumin are commonly found in Indian cooking (Peter-Jones, 2015). The food is reflective of the economics geography because since spices are abundant in India, the making and selling of this necessity helps their economy. This culture’s food is best known in the continent of Asia, more so in the Southern Asia region but this food is from the country of India at heart. g. Describe the dress? (Dress is inclusive of all five senses — you smell perfume, hear jewelry, see make-up, etc…) What are the employees, such as hostesses or wait staff wearing?

According to Eicher and Roach-Higgins (1992), dress is defined as “an assemblage of body modifications and/or supplements to the body”. The employees at the restaurant were rather simple and formal. The host and waitstaff were all men. The host wore a button up shirt with a tie, trousers and formal shoes. As well as a peacoat to keep him warm since he was going outside often to greet customers. The waitstaff also wore button up shirts with a tie, a buttoned-up vest, trousers and formal shoes. They were not wearing any jewelry or cologne, and only one waitstaff employee wore glasses. h. Rate your experience as a food critic (as in the LA Times or Houston Chronicle). Rating should be dependent on taste, service, decor, cleanliness, authenticity, quality and price and should range from A-F (“A” being the best). Explain why you chose this rating, Be thorough and detailed in your explanations.

If I were to rate my experience at Panna II, I would rate it a A-. The appetizer, entree and dessert were delicious and authentic. The decor was bright, fun to look at, and a unique place to take photos. Everything from utensils to the bathrooms were clean. The quality of their food and decor as well as pricing were great. However, while the service was fast, the waitstaff were rude at times. Since it was a busy hour our waiter was rushing us to decide what we wanted to eat. The space in the restaurant was also very cramped to the point where you could rub elbows with the person at the next table. i. What did you learn from this experience that you could contribute to a multicultural experience in a class discussion? After this experience I feel more inclined to get out of my comfort zone and try food from different cultures around the world. Also witnessing the hosts from the restaurants surrounding Panna II shouting over each other trying to convince people to eat at their restaurant, I realized that is what the working life must be like in India. Doing everything you can to make money.

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References

Eicher, J.B., Roach-Higgins, M.E. (1992). Dress and identity. Perspectives on Dress and Identity. 7-16. Panna II Menu. Retreived from: http://www.pannatwo.com/menu/ Peter-Jones, M. (2015, September 21). 11 Essential spices for Indian Cooking. The Kitchn. https://www.thekitchn.com/11-essential-spices-for-indian-cooking-223152 Sternquist, B. (1998). International Retailing: 2nd Edition. Fairchild Publications: New York, NY.