Probably one of the best known side-alleys in town is Nampodong's "Mok-ja gol-mok" (Let's Eat Street), a turning off the busy Kwangbokdong shopping boulevard. The specialty of the street is the chapchae noodles sold at numerous stalls along its length, but in 1994, these were joined by a decidedly more exotic newcomer in the shape of Pusan's very first Indian restaurant, Indokanunkil, or the Road to India.
Indokanunkil is the creation of its energetic proprietor, Mrs. Chong Ji-yeon, who, having been persuaded to visit India by a Japanese publisher friend, fell in love with the country to such a degree that she subsequently went back ten more times! She has traveled all over, but has a special fondness for Calcutta. She says that her experience of India has changed her attitude to life.
The tiny restaurant, which Mrs. Chong runs with assistance from her sister and moral support from her husband, an officer in the Education Department, is actually her second catering venture in Nampodong; the first was an antique-style coffee shop, "Surabaya," which she started nine years ago. Indokanunkil is also described as a coffee shop on its sign, and it does serve a variety of coffees, but despite very limited space and facilities, it also manages to provide remarkably tasty curry meals. Mrs. Chong regrets she is not able to make her own favorite dish, samosas, and those vegetable-filled pastries, which she describes as Indian mandu.
A large part of Indokanunkil's atmosphere derives from the background sitar music, the decorations and paintings, which are the work (still in progress) of the sisters, and the souvenirs, including trinkets, incense sticks and bidis (miniature cigarettes) which are on sale. These, like the food ingredients, are supplied by a company in New Delhi, and have played a part in establishing the restaurants great popularity, something which has rather taken Mrs. Chong by surprise. Right now, she is considering doing some research into French, Italian and other cuisine's with a view to opening up a family restaurant serving a range of international food, but it is to be hoped that the Road to India will go on and on.