If you like spicy food
take a seat at Raj's Buffet
and explore the foods of India
beautifully prepared.
Start with aloo baingan,
a rainbow feast of egg plant,
tomatoes, onions, potatoes,
cumin, coriander and cayenne.
The dish is a five-alarm fire  

on the Anglo tongue
but as peaceful as porridge
in Kolkata and Mumbai.
It clears the sinuses
for eternity.
The nose becomes
an arid cave
waiting for a
finger to pluck
new stalactites
and stalagmites
blooming in

the nostrils.
So take a seat
and grab a fork.
Clear your sinuses
and eat your fill.
Complete your feast
with mango ice cream.
At Raj's Buffet, expect
a culinary thrill.

-- Donal Mahoney