Talent at every corner:
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NEW YORK:
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TWO TALES OF REALISM
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TASTES OF THE BIG APPLEAashish Joshi
New York: A city that never sleeps, but a city that always eats. New York City is a hub for all sorts of ethnicities and cultures; these cultures all produce one thing we all love: food. We were not looking for something everyone knows about like hot dogs, pizza, or burgers, but something different. We decided to narrow our search for food to Washington Square Garden. We came across NY Dosas. It's not a restaurant, a little shack, or a food truck. It was just a little cart. However, this little cart has a huge following. The line stretches to about 40 to 50 feet on busy days. Thiru Kumar runs the small cart alone. He came from South India with almost nothing, but he slowly worked his way up. “I worked small jobs and saved my money for this”. This cart is his dream come true. At 44 years old, Kumar has built a successful business for himself that satisfies people's appetites daily. Kumar opened the cart up in late 2001. He's been going for a whole 15 years now, and he's not done yet. “I never thought I would be this successful” he said as he kept cooking the dosa. “Tamil culture is heavy in South India, you know. Dosas are Tamil food. I learned from my grandmother." Kumar ramped up his cooking speed as he saw the line growing. “I wanted to do something different, so I did this special vegan food”. Kumar sparks conversation with almost every customer. “It makes me happy, you know. I have these fans around the world.” He even sells NY Dosa T-Shirts and other merchandise at his cart. While in line, it felt like everyone knew each other. This was something I've never experienced at a restaurant or anywhere I've eaten publicly. He created a small community in a giant city through food. Soon after our talk, I got my dosa. The first bite had an amazing crunch that released absolute hellfire. The explosion of flavor was insanely spicy, but still very rich. A lentil soup called Sambar was offered on the side. The Sambar helped calm down the spicy aftertaste. There were also two other chutneys offered. As an Indian, the food felt very authentic and at home. This little cart is one of the many gems of New York City. I would like to thank Thiru Kumar for taking his time to help us with the interview even though there was a long line. Our goal was to find food, but instead we found a community built around food. NY Dosas showed us a different side of New York City's food. It showed us the social and cultural aspect of New York food. Sources: Kamar, Thiru. 8 July 16. Personal Interview. Film Recorded Interview. |