It’s lunchtime at Thakali Bhanchha, and the canteen-style restaurant is packed. One table over, a
He doesn’t need to tell me. Thakali Bhanchha, a home-style Nepali restaurant in the heart of Kathmandu’s busy tourist district of Thamel, has been my favorite eating joint in the city for years, ever since I was introduced to the place by my sister-in-law, a foodie who has lived here since 2000. Lighter and less heavily spiced than most Indian food, the food made by Nepal’s Thakali people — ethnic Tibetans from the Tukuche mountain in Mustang—features subtle accents of cumin and coriander that gives it a distinct, fresh flavour.
But there’s more to the story than that. Most Indians are sadly ignorant of Nepali cuisine, which comes in as many varieties as there are ethnic groups in Nepal. I’ve always loved the Newari food made by the Newar people of the Kathmandu valley. Heavy on exotic meats — including buffalo — and fiery traditional liquors, a Newari meal has a rich, ceremonial feel, even at a basic food stall. The coal-black dal, almost without spice, has a lovely, earthy richness that is unlike any you will taste in India. And you can’t afford to miss the fermented dried greens — especially gundruk — of the high-caste Hindu Paharis of the middle hills or the fermented bamboo shoot-flavoured dishes of the Eastern region. (All readily available at Zaika and Thamel House in Thamel.)
Unfortunately, the ubiquitous airfare-hotel-casino packages that have for years dominated the India-Nepal trade have kept most Indians from discovering the best thing about South Asia’s first tourist city: Kathmandu is a budget gourmet’s paradise. From the pungent fermented bamboo and gamey wild boar of Nepali classics to top-class, expat-run Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Thai restaurants, Kathmandu offers more than the usual backpacker’s burgers and banana pancakes — and the market is increasingly expanding to include more flash eateries, thanks to the proliferation of Western aid agencies and NGOs.
The gateway to Nepal’s mountains, rivers and wildlife preserves, Kathmandu has attracted legions of foreign tourists since the 1960s, when the city’s Jochen Tole, or ‘Freak Street’, was the Mecca at the end of the Hippie Trail from Europe. But unlike other cities along the route, like Delhi and Mumbai, Kathmandu’s in-built, laidback culture and anything goes attitude convinced lots of them to stay. So Thamel’s top Western and Asian restaurants are not just favourite eating spots for foreigners; they’re owned and managed by them. And even though Anil tells me that, traditionally, Nepalis aren’t as keen on eating out as Delhi’s flash-and-spend Punjabis, Kathmandu’s current generation is fast picking up the gauntlet thrown down by backpackers-turned-businessmen. “The recent trend is the younger lot are taking up restos, and they have much more exposure,” said Kunal Tej Bir Lama, the 43-year-old owner of Café Mitra. “Especially over the last three years, the new restaurateurs know what they’re doing.”
The result is a fascinating mix of old and new. From Thakali Bhanchha, Anil led me on a post-prandial stroll south through Thamel and Chetrapati to Basantapur Durbar Square, also known as Hanuman Dhoka, where the sixteenth-century palaces of the valley’s Malla and Shah kings still stand in majestic glory. Down the lanes branching from the main square, we dipped into dozens of tiny Newari restaurants — hidden behind green curtains in medieval alleys so narrow it is nearly possible to stretch out your arms and touch the walls of the buildings on either side—for a glimpse of locals tucking into fish head, mutton tongue, lungs and brain. Then we headed for the modern Kathmandu equivalent at Bajeko Sekuwa (meal for two: NPR 1,000) in Anam Nagar, a popular seven-branch chain, where the tongue and brains come with napkins and table service, and there’s a multi-cuisine menu with Indian and Chinese favourites if you’re travelling with timid eaters. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I’ve never been partial to tongue — which tastes you back — but I was very pleased with Bajeko’s mutton sekuwa. Tender and succulent, each bite-sized piece tasted of salt and fat and cumin, with just enough red chilli to bring out the beads of sweat on my (white man’s) forehead. And before we’d finished, we were lucky enough to run into Dinanath Bhandari, the 69-year-old owner of the venerable chain. “I started my first business with a kilo and a half of mutton outside Kathmandu airport,” he told me. “Now I sell 200 kilos a day.”
After saying goodbye to Anil, plunging from one extreme to the other, I met my wife and sister-in-law for dinner at Chez Caroline (meal for two NPR 5,000), an elegant French and Italian restaurant that came highly recommended by expat residents and restaurateurs. Housed in the Babar Mahal Revisited Complex — a restored Rana’s palace that also boasts some of Kathmandu’s best boutiques — Chez Caroline hints at the direction that the city’s Western fare is headed outside of Thamel. Somewhat reminiscent of Delhi’s Olive restaurant at One Style Mile, it’s a quiet, romantic locale in a shaded brick courtyard, with dramatic white archways leading deeper into the palace. Known for its salmon, trout and imported lamb chops, it does a somewhat better steak than the backpacker joints in Thamel — though its beef also comes from Calcutta — and on past visits I’ve had some excellent pasta here. But after a day of meat, I was content with a goat cheese appetiser and Niçoise salad, punctuated by a few bites of my sister-in-law’s steak and my wife’s pesto. Stuffed and contented, that night I slept like a dead man.
But that first marathon of eating was just the beginning. The next three days — like all the visits to Kathmandu I’ve made over the eight years that I’ve lived in Delhi — were an orgy of food and drink. Croissants, cheesecakes, steaks, Korean barbecue, Tibetan momos, Thai curry, bacon and eggs, beef burgers and aloo tama — I was eating to stock up on the stuff I either can’t find or can’t afford in Delhi, eating out of pure gluttony and calling it research. And because Nepal doesn’t bother with a killing import tax and Nepalis have none of India’s reticence about booze — with more than a few bars hosting their own Hindu shrines — I was washing it all down with the good stuff. Jack Daniel’s at 250 Nepali rupees a pop, or local stuff for as little as NPR 65.
Even at the bar at the Kaiser Café in the posh Garden of Dreams — a colonial style garden that’s popular with young Nepali couples, and rivals Delhi’s Imperial Hotel for atmosphere — I was drinking Kirs for just about 300 Nepali rupees. An hour and a half from Delhi, and better than Bangkok, I thought for the zillionth time. So why don’t I see any Indians?
A bustling thicket of bars, restaurants, Internet cafés and shops selling trekking gear and souvenirs, Thamel has a rough-and-tumble look to it—the only explanation I can come up with to explain the complete absence of Indian travellers. But the low prices mean that the stakes are low if you get a bad meal — and, frankly, you can’t go wrong with anyplace that’s thronging with customers. Most of the simple restaurant–bars, like the Northfield Café, do a pretty convincing imitation of Brit-American pub grub, and the stalwart tourist icons like Kilroy’s grill a passable steak (NPR 800) for a country forced to import its beef from Calcutta.
More surprising, perhaps, is the quality of Asian food on offer. Along with the Western tourists, Kathmandu has also been attracting more and more Japanese and Korean tourists over the past decade or so, and there’s a vibrant Asian expat community thanks to the development sector and missionary work — and that’s good for the travelling stomach. Along with more upscale restaurants like Kotetsu, opposite the Japanese embassy in Lazimpat, and Pyongyang Okryu-Gwan Restaurant, near the Yak & Yeti Hotel, that means there’s a host of tiny, fantastically cheap Japanese and Korean joints secreted around town. Momotarou, for instance, does brilliant gyoza and other non-sushi Japanese, while Picnic Korean Kitchen is a must visit. With fantastic kimchee pancakes (NPR 100) and beebimbap (NPR 280), this is the place to go if you’re keen on beef (NPR 350) — but, like me, turn up your nose at hanger steak from Calcutta.
If you do a little exploring — and take a tip or two from residents — you quickly discover that the trick to eating in Thamel (and Kathmandu) is learning that almost every restaurant does something better than the rest. The Northfield Café, for instance, has the best bacon in Thamel and the option to order half-portion breakfasts (NPR 150-200) is a boon. The Pumpernickel Bakery makes croissants (NPR 45) worthy of a Parisian boulangerie. Or2K, a first-floor Israeli vegetarian restaurant on Mandala Street, has fantastic salads (NPR 200) and a brilliant mezze platter (NPR 300). Fire & Ice makes the best wood-fired pizzas around. And Sam’s Bar — with no frills and no food — serves the friendliest drinks in town, thanks to its Austrian owner/bartender, Verena.
And however timeless it seems, Thamel is changing.Kathmandu has always been a great place for drinking, with laidback pubs like Tom and Jerry’s, Sam’s Bar and the Jatra Café & Bar packed with gap-year trekkers and hardcore mountaineers retoxing after Spartan weeks at high altitude. But on my third night in town, I took Verena’s recommendation and checked out The Factory, a recent addition to the scene that’s run by a young Nepali named Max, and discovered a completely different kind of nightlife.
As the sound system thumped out a shuddering bass beat, I climbed the stairs from Mandala Street to a hip, retro-industrial style club that would not look out of place in Manhattan — except for its expansive size. It was too early for a big crowd but it was clear this was no backpacker’s dive, as a table of young Nepalis in designer togs ordered up a bottle of imported wine and, across the room, a couple of UN types pecked away on laptops. I ordered a Jack Daniel’s and settled in, ready to embrace the new Nepal.
The information
Nepali
Thakali Bhanchha: Cheap, tasty and unlimited thalis featuring the Thakali food of Mustang. Walk north from Kathmandu Guesthouse Gate, veer left into a small alley after about 500m. Thamel; +977-1-4701910.
Bajeko Sekuwa: This popular chain features excellent sekuwa — grilled mutton skewers, as well as exotic organ meats—at reasonable prices. Just hail a taxi or auto — drivers know the place. Sorakhutte; 4358668; around NPR 1,000 for two.
Thamel House: More costly than most Kathmandu restaurants, Thamel House is known for its elegant non-veg Newari thali and traditional dance show every evening. Thamel; 4410388, thamelhouse.com.np; non-veg thali NPR 950, drinks NPR 250-400.
Zaika: This reasonably priced restaurant and bar serves an excellent aloo sandeko and top-class aloo tama. Zaika is also a great place to see Kathmandu’s youth culture in action. Thamel; 4700972, bigyapan.com/zaika.
Dwarika’s Hotel: Try the insane, 19-course Newari feast in what is arguably Kathmandu’s finest boutique hotel. Expect five-star prices. Pashupatinath; 4479488, dwarikas.com.
Western
Chez Caroline: Excellent salads and desserts, though the atmosphere probably outstrips the food. Babar Mahal Revisited Complex, Bijulibazaar Road; 4263070, 4264187; NPR 5,000 for two.
OR2K Restaurant: Opposite Pumpernickel on the first floor of Thamel’s Mandala Lane, Or2k is an all-vegetarian, Israeli hippie joint with fantastic Middle Eastern food and great salads. Thamel; 4422097, 44222496.
Kilroy’s and K-Too! Follow the huge signs south from the Best Shopping Centre near the entrance to Thamel from Tridevi Marg to Kilroy’s for reasonably priced backpacker fare — including steaks from Calcutta. Thamel; 250440, 250441; kilroygroup.com.
Fire & Ice: This is the place to go for the best pizza in town as well as an excellent lasagna, according to many expats. More expensive than most Kathmandu restaurants, it has a homey atmosphere. Thamel; 4250210, fireandicepizzeria.com.
Roadhouse Cafe: The other contender for the best wood-fired pizza in Kathmandu, Roadhouse Café, in the heart of Thamel, is a better drinking hole than Fire & Ice. Walk South from Kathmandu Guesthouse toward Chetrapati. Thamel; 4260187.
Kaiser Cafe @ Garden of Dreams: Located in a beautiful, colonial-style garden off Tridevi Marg that’s a hot dating spot for posh Nepalis, the Kaiser Café offers mid-range continental fare, including salads for NPR 300-500 and steaks and imported lamb chops for NPR 525-1,200. Near Thamel; 4425340, gardenofdreams.org.np.
Boudha Stupa Restaurant & Cafe: With a view of the Boudha Stupa and the cityscape, this attractive café offers a mix of pizza, pastas and, yep, Tibetan food. Boudhanath; 21300681, boudhastupacafe.com.np.
Ambience Restaurant & Bar: With an excellent view of Patan’s historic Durbar Square, this reaso nable café offers a full bar and eclectic menu including a decent Nepali thali, momos and the works. Patan Durbar Square; 5538980.
The Factory: A hip, industrial-style lounge bar with live music and/or dancing on weekends. Located on Mandala Lane opposite Or2K. Great bargain despite its posh look. Thamel; 4701185, 4701187; mains for NPR 300-500, local booze for NPR 120, and imports at NPR 250 — including all taxes.
Northfield Cafe & Jesse James Bar: With a big, shady garden in the heart of Thamel, NFC is known for excellent bacon and eggs breakfasts—half-portions available. A great spot for drinks and it also serves a surprisingly good Nepali thali. Just north of Kathmandu Guesthouse. Thamel; 4700530, hotelnorthfield.com.
New Orleans Cafe: Classy café by day and rocking bar by night, New Orleans serves decent general Western fare at moderate prices, with a live house band most nights. Off Mandala Lane in the centre of Thamel. Thamel; 4700736.
Sam’s Bar: A classic dive bar, Sam’s Bar attracts a loyal crowd of expat regulars — ranging from hardcore climbers to staff from the UN and Red Cross — as well as a healthy crop of tourists. It’s strictly a watering hole but owner-bartender Verena will order food from one of the neighbouring joints on request. On Kathmandu Guesthouse road. Thamel; 4700836.
Tom & Jerry’s: Another unpretentious joint, Tom & Jerry’s is a spacious (dark) pub with pool tables and reasonably priced drinks and football on the telly. It is something of a pickup spot, but not oppressively so. Opposite Northfield Café. Thamel; 4700264.
Jatra Cafe & Bar: Possibly the cheapest drinks in Thamel, with local booze at NPR 65, this place attracts a dedicated local Nepali crowd. Nice outdoor garden. Thamel; 4256622.
Pumpernickel Bakery: A spacious, inexpensive, modern café with a European feel, Pumpernickel does a brisk trade for breakfast due to its awesome croissants and fresh baked German-style rolls. At the entrance of Mandala Lane. Thamel; 4259185.
Weizen Bakery & Restaurant: With a sunny outdoor garden and fresh baked cinnamon rolls every morning, Weizen is a great place for breakfast, with bargain-priced coffee. Near Jatra Café & Bar on the road from Kathmandu Guesthouse toward Chetrapati. Thamel; 4265130.
Asian
Comfort Zone Bar & Grill: A cavernous, industrial-style lounge bar, Comfort Zone serves mid- to high-end Korean food in hip surroundings. One of the few places in Thamel where you can break out your club togs, with frequent live music programmes. On the rooftop of the Bank of Thamel building. Thamel; 4333054.
Picnic Korean Kitchen: Staffed by sweet Korean expats, cosy little Picnic offers world-class food at stunningly cheap prices. If you want beef, get it here instead of at one of the overrated steak joints, with sides of veg kimbap and a scallion pancake or two. Near the taxi stand opposite Himalayan Bank on Tridevi Marg. Thamel; 4442420,hispoem.net.
Kotetsu: For authentic Japanese food in posh surroundings, you can’t beat Kotetsu—where the Japanese embassy crowd ensures quality doesn’t slip. Pricey. Lazimpat; 6218513.
Momotarou: This tiny, first-floor restaurant is justifiably popular for its cheap Japanese food, and it’s a short stumble home if you have one too many sakes. Head north from Thamel Chowk toward the Thamel Hotel and Bhagwan Bahal. Thamel; 4417670.
Sing-Ma: It’s a long cab ride from Thamel, in Kathmandu’s ‘other’ happening district — the expat restaurant row, christened ‘Jhamel’, between Jhamsikhel and Jawalakhel in Lalitpur. But for Singaporean-Malaysian food, it can’t be beat. Reasonable prices in canteen-style, no-frills atmosphere. Lalitpur; 5009092, singmafoodcourt.com.
Korea-Pyongyang Okryu-Gwan Restaurant: Where else can you get Pyongyang-style cold noodles served by tittering North Korean waitresses, along with a healthy dose of propaganda? Don’t miss the floor show, twice daily, when the staff dons sparkly rompers and chastely sings ‘I am a disco dancer’ in between rousing paeans to the virtues of DPRK. Follow the signs from the Yak & Yeti hotel. Durbar Marg; 4233288.
Yin-Yang Restaurant: Slightly more expensive than the average Kathmandu restaurant, Yin-Yang serves both continental fare and serviceable Thai food in one of Thamel’s loveliest gardens. Near the Roadhouse Café, south of Kathmandu Guesthouse. Thamel; 4701510
food guide
Kathmandu
Nepal
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