In situ, things looked less cheerful, as a careful perusal of the publicity material threw up such unlikely things as Chatpata Chana Masala, Makhani Paneer, Butter Chicken, Chicken Chettinad, Chicken Pudina and Mutton Ghonghura on the launch list. Chana Masala pizza? For heavens sake, we were Indians, not fools.

A few minutes later, Domino's marketing chief, Gautam Advani, assured all sceptics, including me, that the new toppings had been decided upon after extensive market research. His aide piped in saying the feedback they had received in the very first week of the new toppings showed that Butter Chicken and Makhani Paneer at least had hit it big time in north India. I remained quizzical. What about the Chana Masala?

Worse, Domino's had decided to launch different flavours in different parts of India. Thus, `Deluxe Chicken with Mustard Sauce' and `Sardines' remained confined to the east, `Mutton Ghongura' and `Chicken Chettinad' to the south, and `Chicken Pudina' and `Olives and Baby Corn' to the "more cosmopolitan" Mumbai area. The Punjabi types in north India got the rottenest deal: `Butter Chicken', `Makhani Paneer' and, oh my god, the `Chatpata Chana Masala'. There are politer ways of saying northerners are more gourmands than gourmets!

Then came the pizzas themselves. Despite my inner conviction that the only non-veg things that should be allowed on top of a pizza are pepperoni and anchovies (the rest kill all flavour, as far as I am concerned), I conceded the veg toppings to my totally vegetarian colleague. Do you see the strategy? She got to eat the Chana Masala pizza. Aha!

I'll give it to you straight. The Mutton Ghonghura was really very nice, the Sardines were even better, especially since they came on a thin crust, mmm! So were the Chicken Chettinad and the Deluxe Chicken with Mustard Sauce, if the speed at which they disappeared was any indication-far too fast for me to get my teeth in. (What price your survey, Mr Advani, since we were eating them in much despised Delhi?)

The Butter Chicken was authentic, well, butter chicken. But do I want it on a pizza? That's another question altogether. The Chicken Pudina was good for one bite, I avoided a second one, and went back to a second slice of the Sardines, instead.

My colleague assured me of the meal worthiness of the Olives and Baby Corn, and a trifle more hesitantly, of the Paneer Makhani. But she was emphatic about Chatpata Chana Masala-"you might as well eat Chana Bhaturas". But another guest at the press conference swore by it. Well, one woman's meat is another's-chana?

But folks, especially you in north India, don't despair. The toppings will spread to the rest of the country in time. Also on the anvil are a more lavish spread of desserts... and low calorie pizzas. Watch this space!

-- Mimmy Jain