There are two weekly listings magazines for foreigners in Tokyo and they regularly review restaurants which I have always ignored. That was until last weekend when I went to an Indian cafe in Shinjuku which had been reviewed in ‘Notice Board’ magazine as I thought I should start trying a few Indian places to prepare me for my trip to Delhi at the end of this month. You see I’m always thinking one step ahead just like a carpenter making stairs!

The previous night I had had a staff party at work which involved a lot of drinking and the inevitable all-night karaoke where I threw up over the balcony on the stairwell area. Not sure what floor we were on (6th??) but chundering a few floors down and hearing the splat was certainly a new experience for me. I don’t think anyone got showered by my puke either! Anyway, nursing a bit of a hangover was maybe not the ideal preparation for Indian food given the effects it can sometimes have on my stomach.

Maharaja Cafe is a fairly basic but relaxed place selling South Indian grub which is supposedly more sweet than the more spicy north which is where I am heading on my short seven day trip. I remembered this place from the magazine as I heard about its desserts (mango pudding, kulfi indian ice cream, ras malai) and wanted to sample one or two but the previous nights excursion sadly took its toll on me and I could only manage a couple of lassi’s, sag chicken and cheese nan bread which I had never seen before let alone had. Delicious it was too.

Next stop: The real thing.