McSpicy anyone?

Everyone has a guilty pleasure when they're abroad. Mine is currently McDonalds. The ubiquitous family restaurant certainly isn't every vegetarian's dream but McDonalds India is another animal entirely.

The subcontinent is the only place on the planet where you will not find a single hamburger beneath those golden arches. There's no beef. No pork. Their place on the hot counter is inhabited by myriad veggie options - the McAloo Tikki, the McVeggie, even the Pizza McPuff. My favourite is the McSpicy Paneer - a succulent patty formed of warm paneer (Indian cottage cheese) wrapped in breadcrumbs, served in a familiar bun with a splash of chili sauce to give it that McSpicy kick. 

McDonalds opened its first Indian restaurant in 1996. It wasn't a smooth launch. It was perceived as expensive and 'foreign', and the potential market of 1 billion needed 'education' on ordering at the counter in a restaurant. There was also a hiccup when people discovered McDonalds was using its usual (fake) beef flavour on its fries, causing offence in a country where the cow is sacred. Thankfully, or not, a large TV marketing campaign proved successful and now people across India can save up (the menu is not hugely cheaper than in the UK) to enjoy a burger of their choice in air conditioned comfort. 

Meat eaters visiting India won't be disappointed. You can get your McChicken and McFish if you don't fancy sampling a McAloo Tikki (a potato-based patty) or McVeggie (akin to your normal UK veggie burger).

Even KFC presents India with a range of chickenless options. They look kind of gross so I've not stepped over the threshold:

The verdict? It pains me to say it, but the McSpicy Paneer is completely gorgeous and I find myself lovin' it at least once a week. It's especially good accompanied by the fries, washed down with Coke and followed by an Oreo McFlurry. I fear I'll crave the McSpicy long after I return home.