Et Tu Bhojan

Friday morning, I went for an early jog through the side streets north of Danforth that I meant to explore last time. I felt strong and healthy though the feeling didn't last through the rest of the day. Passing by a subway station entrance, there was a camera crew waiting to interview early commuters. It turned out the transit strike was averted at the last minute.

I was vaguely disappointed since Toronto would still be walkable without motorized transportation. For the strike back in 2008 I bought a used bike. The walkout, which was struck down by provincial legislation, was so short that I didn't need it for commuting to work. But the bike proved convenient for getting around town until cumulative thefts (first the seat, then the front wheel) made it unusable. Now its presence only existed as old images on Google Street View.

It rained until the afternoon so I worked remotely from my room. Ironic since I was much closer to the office here than in Ottawa. The bao ($3.25) and chicken banh mi ($5.50) that I bought from Huy Ky yesterday provided sustenance. In the early evening, I made my way through pleasant weather to the Nepalese restaurant Bhojan Ghar. This joint, along with Abugida, were pleasant discoveries back in December. I enjoyed my return to the latter and I was looking forward to trying out more food from Bhojan. But I was disappointed with my meal this time round.

The giant image of Dehradhun still hung on the wall but the young and eager waitstaff was gone. Instead of the Nepali Thali, I chose Paneer Makhani ($14.99), Naan ($3.25), and a plate of Chicken Momos ($15). The best were the momos, which I haven't had in more than a decade; they were soft, chewy, and nicely seasoned. With 10 of them, there were plenty of leftovers.

The naan and curry were poor dishes. Gone was the fragrance and toothsomeness that made me ranked the flatbread so highly last time. At first, I attributed it to my taste buds. I have been theorizing that age has dulled my senses. How else to explain the lack of flavour from recent outings both in Toronto and Ottawa? But if true, the Makhani curry would be even worse off because it was shockingly sweet. I ate the cheese cubes but left half the curry untouched. Bhojan was bustling with takeout orders and sit-down guests. The locals have obviously embraced it so perhaps I was the problem.

I returned to my stay already a bit unsettled and my energy drained away for the rest of the evening. If this year's CMW shows were at bigger venues like The Garrison or Revival Club, I might have tried my luck. But although there were some concerts at larger halls, the multi-band showcases for CMW 2024 were in tiny spots like The Painted Lady or Jazz Poetry Café. The thought of sitting cheek-to-jowl while masked and coughing had no appeal for me.