New Delhi, Dec. 13 -- A few weeks ago, I was dining at a coveted Kolkata restaurant-their menu a thoughtful play on the city's street food and Bengali home cooking, elevating it to the level of modern fine dining. But each dish came with a story-of its inspiration, origin and the chef's personal connection to it-that lasted more than a couple of minutes. Time so long that by the time we got to our first bite, it had already gone cold.

"It feels odd to start eating while they are still talking, but I like my food hot," said my friend.

I am not against a restaurant trying to tell me why they have chosen a particular dish to be on their menu. But does every dish need to come with a backstory, a nostalgia-dripped anecdote and a "tip" on how...