If you're anything like me, then deciding what to eat for lunch is the most difficult decision of your day. No later than 12:01 p.m., M-F, the emails start filling up your Outlook inbox, asking about your lunch thoughts, or, if the time is getting late, offering up a hunger-themed haiku (or does that just happen at my office?).
Then the negotiations commence: "Not again--we just ate there last week!"; "The weather isn't cold enough yet for soup"; "I am so sick of sandwiches." ; "That place is too far to walk in this rain." "I am not paying 9 dollars for another crappy salad!"
Today's decision was made remarkably easy by the arrival of the Fojol Bros. of Merlindia, a self-described "Traveling Culinary Carnival." That description is fairly accurate, if your impression of a carnival involves being served curry from costumed, mustached men in a food truck while your body involuntarily moves to the catchy music blaring from the speakers.
They have three size options: a "dingo" (one pick--$2), a "meal" (two picks--$6) or a "feast" (three picks--$9). You make your picks from a rotating selection of offerings, and each includes basmati rice. Today's meat options were curry chicken and chicken masala, and the vegetarian options were lentils and chickpeas. I opted for an all-veggie meal of lentils and chickpeas, and one of the Fojol brothers said my mother would be proud.
I'm no expert on Indian food, but I did spend three months in London, which makes me sufficiently credentialed. The chickpeas were my favorite--great texture and flavor. The lentils were a little mushy, but once I mixed them into the rice, I didn't notice the mushiness anymore. However, I do like my Indian food spicy, and this meal was on the mild side--it could have used more heat. I also missed naan, but I guess that's too hard to prepare from a truck. Overall, though, it was a solid meal--one option I'll definitely suggest again, when next Tuesday's lunch negotiations begin.
Fojol Bros.
Location: changes daily