This post can be better understood if one is to read Skimpy’s posts tagged food, specially the ones that talk about these vegetarian self-serving hotels which serve as standing joints where one can get a quick bite and move ahead to keep up with the busy pace of life.
The thing is, dishes made either directly or derived out of some or the other form of rice are the staple features on a Darshini menu, and invariably one notices that pulao is on the items list for breakfast.
The average price of any item available for breakfast at a Darshini usually ranges from about INR 6 to INR 15, and this careful pricing has some intent behind it. A plate of pulao, consequently, costs about INR 12. This is the South Indian breakfast version of pulao, which is served with ritha, and makes for decent breakfast.
The North Indian variant of the pulao, which, at most Darshinis ends up being served as a lunch or dinner item essentially is the same as its breakfast counterpart. However, for some inexplicable reason, it is priced at atleast twice the rate despite having nearly the same taste, while being accompanied by raitha and some vegetable gravy thrown in for added measure.
Cleverer people who want to eat food at the Darshini should, at the risk of wanting to compromise with food that is freshly made vis-a-vis food made a few hours earlier, pick up a parcel of the breakfast pulao, heat it up and eat it. The breakfast version has these bread crumbs in it that somehow make it tastier than one would imagine.
The only reason why i would eat pulao at a darshini would be for the croutons. Darshini menus are predominantly known for Dosas and Bisi Bele bath/chow chow bath.