Now the truth can be told! One of the reasons why President Bill Clinton came to India, was the food of this country. Yes. The Clintons are big foodies back home in Washington. And they absolutely adore Indian food. It is cooked for them at least once a week by the White House kitchen. Besides, whenever they get the opportunity to eat out, the Clintons go to the Bombay Palace restaurant in Washington for an Indian meal. The NRI restaurateur there is reported to be astonished and delighted at the number of times the Clintons manage to squeeze in late-night dinners at his eatery despite the President�s crazy work schedules.

At the Bombay Palace, Clinton will order grilled and roasted meats, the dry gravies and kebabs of the North West Frontier Province cuisine. He is an out-and-out NWFP cuisine man, and not even Osama Bin Laden�s presence in Afghanistan can leave a bad taste in his mouth for the food of this region. Next to this, Clinton has a passion for tandoori food. Yes, he is also a chicken tandoori man. He knows all about the wonders of the tandoor and his appetite for this kind of food is legend. After polishing off a full chicken, he will ask for a tandoori pomfret and jhinga. Our Jiggs Inder Singh Kalra says that this kind of hearty appetite for tandoori food is only found in the robust Jat truck drivers of the Punjab!

So, what did the President eat in India? Quite a lot, actually. UpperCrust sourced the menus that the master chefs of the Oberoi, Welcomgroup and Ashoka hotels in New Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bombay put together for Clinton. Then we laid out a banquet table of all these dishes and found that it was fit for a King. Or, as in this case, a President at least. Looking at the food (and the variety!) that he ate in less than a week in India, the question we are asking is does this make President Bill Clinton a gourmet or a foodie? (Note: A gourmet is a discerning foodie.) When Busybee was put the question, he said: �My gosh, but the man eats almost as much as Ismail (Page 57) Merchant does!�

At Maurya Sheraton,
New Delhi

Tandoori prawns
Murg tandoori
Butter chicken
Peshawari kebab
Tandoori pomfret
Murg malai kebab
Sikandri naan
Bread rolls
Toast with jam, honey and marmalade
Coffee and croissants
Mango ice-cream

At Hotel Ashok,
New Delhi

Kesari badam shorba
Tandoori prawns
Lamb with pudina chutney
Barbecue chicken in tomato gravy
Paneer in cream and nuts
Mixed vegetables (cauliflower, capsicum, tomato, spring onions)
Dal makhniVegetable biryaniPotatoes in tomato gravy
Mushroom and til kebabs
Kahwa

At Raj Vilas,
Jaipur

Smoked turkey sandwiches
Grilled vegetables on bread
Gamon ham and French mustard with ciabatta
Mixed salad
Bread rolls
Baked apple pie
Oat toasted cookies

At Grand Kakatiya,
Hyderabad
Grilled chicken breasts
Burger bread with tomato, lettuce and French mustard
Diet Coke
Alphonso mangoes

At The Oberoi,
Bombay

Tandoori paneer pasanda kebabs
Sabzi ki shahi seekh
Paneer and mutter ki tikki
Amritsari seekh
Murg tikka
Caesar�s salad
Falafal
Spanish vegetable paella
Veg gnocchi
Lemon grass flavoured barbecued prawns
Antipasti platter
Fruit juices
Alphonso mangoes
Waffles with maple syrup
Elfi bananas
Crispy bacon
Black tea with honey