Review – Highway On My Plate: The Indian Guide To Roadside Eating

August 14, 2011
Authors: Rocky Singh , Mayur Sharma
Publisher: Random House India
Year: 2010
ISBN: 9788184001365
Rating: ★★★☆☆
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Food can be perceived in so many different manners. Some consider it basic necessity, for others it is an obsession; for few it is highly overrated and then there are few whose lives would be meaningless without food. And no I am not talking about the foodies, I am talking about people who consider food as a work of art, something to be revered, something to be appreciated, the nuances of each spice stand out for them. Two such people are Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma. They shot to prominence with their show “Highway on my Plate” and seem to be living the ideal life – roam around the country, sometimes the world, and try out the best dishes that place has to offer.
 
I had always been a fan of the show, and when they released the book it was obvious I had to read it. One warning about the book – do not read it on an empty stomach. I made that mistake and spent the next few hours salivating over the pages and the few photographs inside the book.
 
The book lists the best places to eat across the country. The book proceeds state-by-state and mentions the note-worthy places to eat across the cities, towns, and on the highways. While I cannot claim to be a foodie of the proportions of the authors, I love my food and love to experiment with different places. And there were a number of places in the book that I had visited and was happy to find that I’ve got good taste. I found many places that I need to try out too.
 
The best thing about the book is that you can feel that the writers love their food, and so the book comes across as very honest. The humour you feel in the TV show comes across here too. There are many moments in the book when you are grinning, and there are many more moments when you are cursing them for making you hungry.
 
I wish this book could have been much more detailed. Hyderabad had just three entries, the whole state of Chhattisgarh had just one! Similarly there were some states which did not find a mention at all. I know covering just the major eating hubs in each state and each prominent city would have resulted in multiple volumes that could have easily challenged the complete printed version of Britannica Encyclopedia in terms of space taken on the book shelf; but this book made me feel I want more. Guess another version of this could come out soon 🙂
 
This is one book I’m definitely going to carry with me the next time I’m visiting a new place. It would surely come in handy!
 
Verdict: If you love exploring new places to travel to and eat at, pick it up.

 

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