It happened a decade ago, I was invited for a job treat of one of colleague. It was decided that lunch at pizza hut in nungambakkam. I have heard that pizza's are costly. Of course treat are aimed at high budget of the sponsor-er.
I was kind of thrilled, as it will be my first attempt for pizza. People were discussing, if pizza will give a feeling of full stomach. We were informed that , pizza hut sells the pasta's and it is not that costly as pizza's.
A table was booked and we reached the venue on time. We had a look at the different pasta's and fresh vegetable salads. I did not want to give a try on those, as it was much like different form of noodles and macroni's which i had tasted already. We ordered for pizza and waited for it to come. They gave normal water and asked if we need mineral water. Since people preferred chill water, it was ordered. They then started to keep plates, spoon, fork and blunt knife (This is for cutting the pizza).
There came the most awaited pizza. To be frank, it was not that easy to eat the pizza. I had a tough time in cutting the pizza with knife. The big pizza already had the cut lines for making our work easy, yet the pie cannot be eaten as such with the help of fork. We were struggling with knife and fork.
After few minutes, one of my lady collegue said, I am going to eat with hands. she kept the knife and fork down and took out a pie with hand and started eating. After her, some took her way and others remained to use the fork and knife telling this is how we are supposed to eat pizza.
I forgot to mention about one more important thing here. They had the tomato sauce, chilli flakes and the pepper flakes for adding flavor on top of pizza.
After that, I have had quiet a few experiences with pizza at office for birthday treats. It was ordered and delivered at office. We all had it using hands. It was more like, eating the puff with tomato sauce on paper plate.
Years after that, i got chance to eat pizza out at anna nagar with my spouse. Dhanu missed the chance as he was at native with his grand parents. Two things were missing there. First being drinking water and second was knife and fork. People either ordered for bottle water or cool drink to replace the normal water.
We wanted normal water and it arrived after several requests.
Next, we had our next pizza experience in our native, at Domino's. I was surprised when our ordered items arrived. It was all packed in the boxes as I could see when it was delivered at office. They call it as Take away. We can either have it there or take home and eat. In addition to the pizza and pasta's they were selling ice-cream and chocolate cakes. It was a happy dinner time with family member's.
Recently, due to pestering from Dhanu, we had visited pizza hut in kilpauk for dinner. We ordered for "Meal for 2" (1 Medium pizza, 4 pieces garlic bread with a cup of pepsi). At the billing counter , A message was stuck saying "Sorry, We have stopped giving tomato sauce". We asked them, if we have to pay and buy the tomato sauce. The billing person said, No sir, we are adding the sauce to the pizza so it is not necessary for buying sauce. It was also packed as it is for Take away. No water, fork and knife.
We can have a grand non-veg feast for three, for the amount we had spent for "Meal for 2" pizza. But Dhanu was happy to have the pizza than the Indian food we had bought home for dinner. Still I told him that , pizza should not be had frequently and not to demand as he did this time.
--Dhanesh Amma