One of the often visited restaurants in Manipal is the trendily named Snack Shack. What's odd about the naming is that , it is neither a shack in the true sense, and they serve stuff other than snacks. However this post is not about name calling. This is a post about the snack (if I can call it that) I like the most at this small town eatery.

Every time I visit this place, I have never given a miss to the dish they call 'Potato Lovers'. It is nothing very complicated and I believe there is no love involved in making it, but, it is the fastest selling snack at this shack. The potatoes are sliced into slender slices like French Fries and then fried in oil and then soaked in a tangy sweet and sour sauce, before they are, finally served with a garnishing of Tomatoes or Cabbage leaves or whatever Vegetable is lying in front of the Cook at that fortunate moment. It is served within 5 minutes of the order and If you are in a hurry, it is both a quick solution to your time constraints, and since the quantity served is quite large, your hunger problems as well.

What do you do when,you walk into the Barbers shop, and bump into your boss? This is exactly what happened yesterday. I had not had a hair cut for a long time, and was beginning to look like the guy from the Centre fresh advertisement (No, Not exactly like that... I believe I am better looking). But, i hope you get the point.


The hair had grown too long and it was time to make another sacrifice at the altar, where all people,without exceptions, bow their heads at least once in their life time. I entered the shop and was being guided into the Non-A/C section, when, at the last moment, another guy asked me to step into the A/C section. As I was feeling the cool atmosphere inside the chamber of hair cuts, my eyes registered a familiar face, but, my mind pre occupied with other thoughts let it go by. It however did a double-take when it realised it was the Boss. There was an awkward moment when his eyes met mine,and, me being somewhat of a social recluse, couldn't muster any proper greetings. Somehow my lips curled upwards into what i thought was a smile, and as i took the seat proffered to me, managed a "Good Evening sir". I believe those three words did some magic, as the Boss gave me a wide smile and all was well with the world. A few minutes later, he finished with his hair cut and still beaming made an exit, leaving me wondering whether I could have come up with anything intelligent to discuss with him? Talking with Swathi a few minutes later over the telephone, I realised how good a communicator she is. I guess she would have brought the house down with a constant banter if she was ever in my situation.