The philosophy of Eating Out !!

A recent study by a well-known national weekly magazine shows that more & more Indians are splurging on food. Indians seems to be on a eating spree! This luxury of eating out is not the preserver of the upwardly mobile any longer. The great Indian middle class has taken to this habit. And boy they have taken to it real big. This is no doubt a healthy sign for Indian economy coz it reflects the increased spending power of the Indian middle class consumer. But the economic implications of the gourmet habits of people are the last thing I want to discuss here. Instead I will try to analyze the 'philosophy' (for want of a better word) behind this habit. Well I mean satisfying ones hunger is of course there!! But I am sure hunger pangs r not the only driving force behind this increase urge in people to throng restaurants & eating joints. There are other 'add-ons' that people derive out of this culinary-venture. To understand this lets look at what r the ‘paraphernalia’ associated with this habit. First and foremost according to me is a place with right the ambience. For some this has taken precedence over the other primary requirement of ‘good food’. Believe me, the neighborhood auntie’s dhaba serving homely food is not the place u want to eat out. That is not the type of eating out I am talking here. ‘Ambience’ encompasses whole lots of things. The place has to have the right kind of seating arrangements. The interiors must be aesthetically done. People are more are more inclined towards a ‘minimalist’ and ‘simplistic’ décor. A ‘traditional’ type of setting also is quite a hit with people nowadays. Next is good music. I understand that different people have different music palate making the task of selecting music for restaurants a tricky one.
So, one has to walk on the edge while making such selections. I suggest settling for something which may not be “universally liked” but should not be universally disliked”. Like the instrumental versions of sweet romantic music (of Bryan Adams kind) or the instrumental specialist like Kenny G. The same goes for hindi music. Soft and romantic ghazals (the ones that Jagjit Singh and Pankaj Udhas specialize in) should serve the purpose well. And if the setting is of traditional chic then nothing like golden oldies to go with it. The idea that should be kept in mind is that people will want to relax and chill. So the music should not be jarring. It should be lyrical and melodious. Also the music should be played with right decibel label. People will more often then not engage themselves in passionate conversations during such eating sessions. So they should not be found shouting to each other. Now coming to ‘conversation’, this is a very significant aspect of the whole eating out exercise. To me nothing can be more stimulating than a passionate conversation with like minded individuals. The topic can be anything (preferable non-technical!!!!) music & musicians, books &, authors, magazines & articles, arts, cinema, business, fashion, television, gossip (filmi & non-filmi !!), work place tit-bits, special personal experience, food & drinks etc. The conversation is more fruitful and enjoyable if the people you are talking to can relate to what u are talking about.
As I said to have a good conversation you need good company. A coterie of people with whom you click. A group who understands what you stand for. I am not saying that you should not have arguments during conversation. A healthy and friendly argument is what conversation is all about. But argument should not degrade into personal skirmishes or difference of opinion ‘fights’. It will than throw blanket on the whole atmosphere and take the fun out of discussions.
I believe conversation and eating out is entwined. I mean what can be more boring than eating food silently especially when u r with someone. A good conversation to go with good food in right settings is a heavenly experience. The world does not seem as cruel a place momentarily. It makes life worth living. Truly. And this exactly is the reason why weekend lunch trip is so common among people who lead busy , mechanical & at time monotonic work life. Since most such people are not so socially active (associated with a club or NGO or a local administrative body kind)!! This weekend or occasional gourmet adventure comes like a breath of fresh air. It acts like a balm & eggs people to carry on with their dreary existence.