A masala dosa by another name

Recontextualisation could be the next big thing in menu-making. Seattle-based Indian Crepe Co is not the first food business entity, nor will it be the last, to reposition an item simply by the name and descriptor it gives to a dish. The dosa in Indian Crepe's menu is 'naked crepe' and the masala dosa 'smashed potato crepe'. And why not? If a rose by any other name - gulab, come to mind - can smell as sweet, why wouldn't vada accompanied by sambar taste wunderbar when it's served up as 'dunked donut delight'? The more recontextualisation the better. It would make great sense if hamburgers were served as burra pavs, creme brulee as jalaa phirni, and khow suey as bhiga chaat. Let the purists chew on.

Hyper-describing a dish - as Indian Crepe does with 'dunked rice cake delight' (read: idli sambar) by describing it as 'Type of savoury rice cake made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice, dipped in lentil soup' - adds a layer of sophistication if not to the palette, then to the brain making the selection, and later the review of the dish tasted. For food delivery companies back here in India, it would make great sense to describe dishes on restaurant menus with more detail. Far too many times, what is conjured up when reading 'veg wok tossed fried rice' is far removed from what lands up at the doorstep.