Ava Bunker-Adventures at Indian Food

When Scott and I were  younger, we were, what you would call, the first gen version of "Foodies". We loved going to different ethnic food places, tried to recreate the dishes at home, watched Food TV before it was The Food NETWORK, etc. We love all different types of food, and loved experimenting with new tastes and flavors.


Then we had Ava. The first year I was nursing so I ate everything that Ava could easily digest. After that, we ventured out here and there, but really, nicer restaurants and toddlers don't mix well...AT ALL. We have supplemented with take out and the occasional lunch out, and we have fared ok.

Yesterday, we decided to throw caution to the wind, and take Ava to an all Vegetarian Indian Food buffet.  Knowing she may not be super into the food, I gave her a healthy "pre snack". As predicted, she wasn't pleased with the food, and WOW was she vocal about her surroundings.


A few Ava gems from yesterday:

"Mom, who is that girl up there on the wall?" I explain she is Shiva, a goddess. 
"Oh so she is a pretend God, not like our REAL GOD, right Mom?" Sigh, thank you Christian Kindergarten for that one.


"Is everybody speaking spanish here? I don't understand any of it"

"Everyone here is from a different country, but us, right Mama?"

"All of this food tastes weird. Why do they eat weird food Mama?"


We were equal parts horrified and amused. We answered all of her questions in a matter of fact way, and righted the wrongs, while cringing at how Archie Bunker/1930s Plantation Owner she sounded.

Ava "enjoying" lunch

Yes, you do see Albertsons Deli containers in front of her. That was her lunch. I gave up mid way through the meal and walked with her over to the Grocery store to pick some food up that she would eat. I didn't even realize until we got back and Scott said "is this ok here?", that I bought her Orange Sesame chicken and brought it back, into the VEGETARIAN restaurant.

At that point, I was willing to take the hit so I could have a hot plate of food, so we let her tear up the dead animal in the veggie restaurant.

We live in a city that is so culturally diverse that I forget that sometimes we have to explain things that she hasn't been exposed to in the past. Next time, however, I will do some of the prep work at home, or we may just have Red Robin for the next 13 years. :)