A number of years ago, I tried chicken tikka masala at a restaurant outside Philadelphia. I was repulsed, horrified, and in general turned off from Indian cuisine. It tasted like it had been soaked in a combination of peanut butter and sriracha, and I could not finish it. Since then I’ve been a disliker of Indian cuisine. When I would go to a place in Seattle I know people like, Saffron Grill, I’d get a gyro instead. (And let’s not talk about the Scottish-Indian restaurant. Please.)

Fast forward to this past winter, when my beloved Emma suggested Indian, and I demurred based in my past experience. And she presented to me the idea that I should try it again. (She was right. I really should have.) She picked, and got me lamb saag. “Spinach and lamb, two things you love!” she said. I began eating, a bit dubiously.

I finished it. Devoured it.

Then at the food court at Westlake Center, I had it a couple times at the stand there.

And this weekend, after messing up my knee, neither of us were up for much cooking. We looked at a few places on 2go Services and I said something that kind of stunned her:

“How about this Indian place?” We’d been talking about trying a place again, but this time I actually suggested it. And it was good. (The restaurant is Indian Curry Palace in Tukwila.) I tried Tandoori Chicken, and loved it. The lamb saag was excellent. And the paneer pakora was amazing (they put spices in the middle, which is apparently a big unusual, but I liked it).

I kind of wonder what else is going to change in my tastes soon… But this is an interesting change.

(This has been edited. Initially I said that Emma could “talk me into anything”. She doesn’t – she presents ideas to me. And quite honestly, she’s been right every time.)