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July 6, 2025 – Day 3 in India
We’ve been traveling since June 5—cruising through Europe, staying in hotels, and eating mostly cruise or hotel meals along the way. It’s been a beautiful journey, but food hasn’t always felt personal or deeply satisfying. When we arrived in Delhi two days ago, my dearest friend Li told me I had to try Nagaland’s Kitchen. She even made a reservation for us that same evening, but I had a full-day salon appointment and couldn’t make it.
The next day, I hoped we could finally go, but our kids were tired and preferred to stay in. So we ate at the hotel restaurant instead. Then today, same story—the kids just wanted to relax in the room, so we ordered room service for them. I was a little disappointed… but my husband lifted my spirits by offering to order delivery from Nagaland’s Kitchen for me. I was so excited.
Li had mentioned that the restaurant delivers directly, which I really appreciated over using a third-party app. I called and asked for Ravi, as she had suggested. He wasn’t available, but Ashish kindly took over and helped us place the order.
We got everything Li had recommended: pork ribs, fish wrapped in bamboo shoot, chicken raja mircha, two servings of rice, and a side of raja mircha chutney—because I’m a chilihead and couldn’t resist.
Ashish said the food would arrive in about 40 minutes. While we waited, I was reminded of a special memory—over eight years ago, my other dear friend Yang had taken me to this very restaurant during our previous trip to India. We had spent the whole day together and shared a beautiful meal that I’ll never forget. It made me even more excited for dinner tonight.
When the food arrived, Santosh called from the hotel lobby. Everything was packed with so much care—sealed securely, nothing had leaked, and everything was still piping hot. I was truly impressed.
And the food? Absolutely incredible. The pork ribs were tender and flavorful, the fish in bamboo shoot had that signature tangy earthiness I’ve come to love in Naga cuisine, and the chicken raja mircha was bold, spicy, and deeply satisfying. The raja mircha chutney was pure fire—in the best way. Every bite was rich in flavor and comfort.
My husband and I shared the meal. He finished quickly, while I took my time, savoring each bite. After so many hotel and cruise meals, this was the first one in weeks that truly felt soulful. It reminded me why I fell in love with Naga food in the first place. It felt like coming home—even though it’s not the food I grew up with, it’s the food my heart connects with.
Deep gratitude to Ashish and Santosh for their warmth and care, and to the entire team at Nagaland Kitchen for maintaining such beautiful standards. And to my wonderful friends Li and Yang—thank you for leading me back to this experience. Tonight’s meal was more than just dinner. It was comfort, memory, and joy—all wrapped into one.