It takes about 15 minutes drive to get there from RTP.  Here is my 2 cents about Kimono Pao Lim

• Food is good, fresh and tasty.
• Chef (owner) used to have live in India. So, you will see Indian flavor to Chinese food. If you get a chance, do give it a try.
• Not expensive

You will get more food that what you pay. Which is always good. Form outside it will look like Japanese food, but they have 2 different menus (Indo-Chinese and Japanese).

Location – 2505, Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham.

If you are looking for an iPhone app that will make free phone calls to India, I haven’t found one yet. But, there is a neat little trick I use to make calls to India from my iPhone.

Call India from iPhone

• Vonage Call forwarding is free
• Configure Call Forwarding within your Vonage account (Features > Call Forwarding)
• Set Forward Instantly (without delay) to number in India (011+91+number)
• Call your vonage number from your iPhone.
• Call will be now forwarded to India.

It would be nice to dial India from iPhone  for free, but if you have any better idea, do let me know.

Vonage App for Facebook – Free Calls

Vonage recently announced an app for Facebook. It allows you to call your friends using facebook, all over the world for free. But, they have to have vonage for facebook app installed in their smart phone.

Zyka – Lunch Buffet

We entered Zaika through the secondary entrance and within few seconds, we got our table and went on to get some food and here is my observation.

• Very less food varieties (read the first review)
• 3 Vegetarian Dishes were made of Potatoes (we go to restaurant to get some variety)
• 2 other customers came after us and got the table + food + Naan
• We waited for 15 minutes before we got our first basket of our Naan (after asking 3 times)
• We asked for more Naan and we were asked to wait for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• For lunch, we don’t have 45 minutes to 1 hour to eat at restaurant.
• Butter Chicken and other Chicken Curry  was not tasty.

While going out for lunch with teammates, we have list of places in our mind and Zyka is removed from the list.  Sorry Zyka!

Still Tower, Updi, Cool Breeze, Briyani House and Lazziz Briyani Corner remains top of the list.

Last week I closed the Go Green checking account closed. I was not happy with few things

• Not happy with car loan approval process. If customer is applying for car loan, all the rules have to stated first, not after running the credit report.
• You have to use the ATM pin assigned by them (it pain to remember another pin)
• Mandatory Password change every few months to online banking.

If I were running a bank and if one of my customer decided to close the account, I would care to ask the reason they are closing the account. I wouldn’t get the request  and close the account right away.

After installing the Energywise meter, in last 2 months, I haven’t seen any changes in AC unit operation or change in comfort level. I would recommend to go for it for $25 savings.  In this economy, $25 savings to be big deal.

• 30 Year Fixed – 4.375%
• 5/1 year ARM  – 3.375%

Above rates are for No Cost, No Escrow Loan. If my property is above 80% Loan to Value, I just have to walk to closing with pen to sign the papers. I don’t pay a dime in closing costs. I might be able to get lower rate,if I pay the closing cost, but with volatile market, it makes sense to go with No Cost/No Escrow Loan. I will be able to refinance anytime again, if mortgage rates take another dip.

I have asked several mortgage companies, lenders and brokers but no one can beat the rates offered by my broker. If you need his contact, leave a comment. I can forward his contact details.

I’m not sure if Kandas is renamed as Paradise India Cuisine or Paradise is opened under new management. Hopefully Paradise India Cuisine will have tasty food and better customer service.

• Good Ambiance.
• Looks like they are competing with Azitra Indian Restaurant in Brier Creek
• Not sure if same owner runs both restaurants, because both Zyka (Zyka.us) and Azitra(azitra.us) website has (.) us top level domain.
• If its run by two different company, I wouldn’t create website TLD that matches the competitor.
• I was not impressed with the food overall.
• Food varieties was very less ( comparing to Tower, Spice and Curry, Udipi)
• It has an high end appeal for formal dining.
• Attracting typical Indian family is tough with high end fine dining
• Food was not expensive compared to Azitra.
• Taste was decent.

So the main turn off was less number of food varieties. Not a typical restaurant where families with kids will plan to go out for lunch or dinner. With Cafe Curry Leaves Morrisville, we had the feeling to go back and give it a try after few months, but I don’t have that feeling with Zyka India Restaurant. It was hard to spend even few seconds in their website. Bright red color is not the pleasing color to have a site.

Address – 10410 Moncreiffe Road, Suite-104, Raleigh, NC 27617

Both fees will increase from $1.49 per month to $1.99 per month beginning with your first billing cycle on or after April 23, 2010. This change will allow Vonage to maintain our commitment to safety, innovation and customer service.

This has to come to an end. Vonage has been doing this even since they started their service. It was expected when World plan was announced.

• Around the World Located 6715 Hillsborough Street; Raleigh, NC 27606 is the largest Indian Grocery stores in RTP area, but not the cheapest.They have another store in Durham too. They provide Member Card, but same card cannot be used at both locations.
• Patel Brothers located at 1419 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC is second biggest grocery store and cheaper compared to Around the World.
• Triangle India Market – 740 E Chatham St Ste A; Cary, NC is another Grocery Indian Grocery store, but it doesn’t have to appeal. When Patel Brothers and Around the World is located less than 5 minutes from this store, atmosphere in the store is not appealing. Sometimes not so good customer service.

We live in Morrisville and we prefer to shop at Sangam Mart or Kadambam [Indian Grocery Stores in Morrisville ]