Who needs butter chicken?

An academic friend who frequents Guwahati never fails to point out how, and how quickly, food taboos have changed among the Assamese. However, like many of us who live on the edges of the culinary empire of butter chicken and sad versions of Chinese food, his enthusiasm wears thin when it comes to locating a restaurant in Guwahati that actually reflects these radical changes.

Paradise Restaurant in Chandmari is the most popular place to take visitors wanting a taste of Assam. Truth be told, though, it was always a bit embarrassing to explain the various bowls that would be placed before the guest, as the Paradise serves a very watered-down version of upper-caste food. Furthermore, one receives reactions along the lines of, "This is a lot like Bengali/Oriya/mild North Indian food." Still, one did not give up on the restaurant. Perhaps its beer licence has had something to do with that.