My frequent visits to East Village have not only brought me closer to New York but have also, in many ways, transported me back to my late teens in Lahore. My new favourite spot is the Pak-Punjab Deli on Second Avenue and 1st street. The location is perfect, I hop on the M15 select or neglect bus, as one of my bus-mates likes to call it, and there I am. These trips have also allowed me to introduce Punjabi food to my beloved, who is becoming increasingly convinced of its superiority over other cuisines. Everything in the shop screams Lahore. The heavy Punjabi accent of customers and serving staff, potato-filled samosa, channa chaat, and keema naan are some of the many options available to the consumer. For me, the most endearing discovery was the cream roll. I asked the shopkeeper, where on earth did he bring these from? ‘From Lahore Ji’, he smiled, as he handed me my fresh samosa chaat. For my readers, cream rolls are an essential part of every Lahori high tea. This bizarre colonial pastry has been a defining feature of our households. I looked at the man at the till with such joy, and for a second, I was carried back to Shezan Bakery Lahore. Sensing my nostalgia, he said, ‘Bus Gi, Lahore, Lahore hay’, meaning, ‘There is no city like Lahore’. Tears welled up in my eyes as I reinforced what he said. I took my samosa chaat and left the shop. Outside the shop, the sign ‘Good Humour’ shines brightly. If there is anything Lahoris crave the most, it is food and good humour, and this deli has it all.
