Today, Tom York challenged me to turn over my dining decisions to the waiter or chef. I was in the care of Vijay Singh (not the golfer, in case you were wondering where he was these days) and I was treated to the local Marwal specialties. Like a good food consultant, he took the time to find out what I normally ate, my preferences and how local I was willing to go.

I sat on the banks of the lake looking out to the opulent Lake Palace while next to me, local women beat, smacked and scrubbed their laundry clean. Girls in full sari and boys in their underwear dove in to cool off. Then my food arrived; I was treated to a local curry and pulao that I wouldn’t have tried or paired on my own. Vijay’s recommendations were so spot on that I came back for a menu-less dinner.

I highly recommend the waiter-catered meal. Removing the expectation of a menu-to-plate translation freed me from my preconceived notions about the look, the taste, and the whole experience. I was free to enjoy each bite as a new adventure, without a traditional point of reference.

What could you eat today?