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If I had to pick or recommend a good restaurant or cafe, I would choose a place that I could go any time of the day, be it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. That’s the reason why Jalpa Coffee Club tops my list of favorite places. It has been in business for two years and has garnered a good reputation for its high-quality coffee, diverse menu, and welcoming ambiance. The good thing is you don’t need company to go here as it can easily double up as your workstation. It’s also where you can hang out with your friends after wrapping up work. If you’re in the mood for breakfast, we highly recommend you to try Buttermilk Pancake, which comes in their breakfast set. The pancakes are freshly made, golden brown on the outside, and fluffy and light on the inside. It’s served with butter and syrup. The set also includes sausages, bacon, a seasonal fruit salad, and eggs of your choice, striking the right balance between sweet and savory. It goes really nicely with your morning coffee.  Ham and Cheese Slider is a good option if you’re looking to tuck in a quick lunch. Thinly sliced ham, with a hint of smoky flavor, is placed, along with cheddar cheese, between two fluffy buns, and served with fries on the side. The smoky taste goes well with rich and creamy cheese. It’s also a good option for a takeaway lunch. It’s small enough to hold in one hand, making it easy to enjoy on the go. Try the Bagel Sandwich if you want something different. Toasted bagel is sliced in half, with bacon, fluffy scrambled egg, cheese, mayonnaise, and lettuce. The crunchy texture of the bagel with soft yet crispy filling makes every bite a perfect one. Personally, I did think it was a bit heavy for a single person. So I’d suggest you split the meal with a friend.  The drinks here are amazing as well. From their coffees to smoothies, there is no room for complaint. Their coffee is sourced from high-quality beans and roasted in-house, ensuring a fresh and fragrant cup every time. Whether you prefer a classic drip coffee or a fancy latte, the café has you covered. My personal favorite is their Coffee Drip, although it’s a drink well-suited for the summer months. If you are looking for something refreshing to go with your meal, I suggest you try the Mixed Berry Smoothie. It’s a blend of fresh and frozen mixed berries and is both sweet and sour flavored.  The Mixed Berry and Grape Juice Blend is also really nice. It’s slightly sweeter than the Mixed Berry Smoothie, but it’s as refreshing as it could get. Since summer is around the corner, this could be your go-to drink to accompany the sliders or sandwiches. The combination is great. With each savory bite, the hint of sweetness from this drink hits the right spot. They also offer a selection of pastries and baked goods. From croissants to muffins and cookies, there is something for everyone.  Best of all, the café has the perfect ambiance for those who are looking for a quiet and peaceful place to work, study, or relax. And it’s reasonably priced too. The interior is sleek and modern with a touch of traditional elements. The furniture is made of wood, and the decor is simple yet elegant. The restaurant has a large window that lets in ample natural light, making it feel bright and airy.  They also have the option of outdoor seating. Although it tends to get dusty, the staff make sure that the table you choose is always neat and clean. One thing I loved the most was how well-maintained the garden was. Because of that, most of their customers prefer to stay outside, especially if they are there for breakfast. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee on a sunny day.  Their specials:

• Buttermilk Pancake
• Slider
• Bagel Sandwich

A calm and cozy place for breakfast or lunch, with freshly brewed coffee by your side, seems like the perfect way to get started with your day. But restaurants like those usually fall on the expensive side, and they can’t become a regular haunt. We have found a place that doesn’t just serve a good meal but is also pocket-friendly. With its sleek and modern design, Rise N’ Dine Restro in Naxal attracts youngsters and businesspersons alike. From the moment you walk in, you are enveloped by a calming ambiance that invites you to sit down, relax, and enjoy a cup of coffee. The menu is diverse. Whether you are looking for something light and healthy, or something more indulgent, their wide variety of food options will cater to all your preferences. Since we visited the restaurant for lunch, most of our food recommendations might not be ideal for breakfast. But trust us when we say that you will not regret visiting the place at any time of the day. Going by the quality of food they served, we are sure that their breakfast or dinner options are equally delicious.  For lunch, we suggest you get into the mood by ordering a starter before digging into the main course. And for that Mustang Aloo is the best. Potatoes are deep-fried, and the mix of spices used lends them a nice zing. They use sichuan pepper, jimbu (a local spice found in Himalayan region of Nepal), and fried garlic for the seasoning. It makes for an excellent snack. However, it’s best to share this dish, since having it alone might not leave you with much room for the main course.  Try Spaghetti with meatballs for the main course. It’s a comforting dish that will satisfy all your cravings. The pasta is cooked al dente (cooked in a way that gives you a firm bite) with a savory tomato-based sauce. The meatballs are freshly made, and with each bite, you can taste the mixture of herbs and spices, making it an absolute delight. To give an extra burst of flavor and a pop of color, the spaghetti is topped with herbs and cheese. It’s a satisfying meal you can have for either lunch or dinner.  Grilled Chicken is equally good, which makes sense since this is one of their bestsellers. Chicken is marinated with a blend of spices, including garlic, lemon, and some herbs, and is grilled to perfection. It’s served with some vegetables and mashed potatoes on the side to balance out the nutritional value of the meal. It smells delicious, making you want to dig into the meal right away. With every bite, you will notice how well-cooked, juicy, and tender the chicken is, and the hint of smoky flavor enhances the overall taste of the dish. We suggest you give their coffee a try as well. The beans they use make their coffee quite good and satisfying. We highly recommend a cup of coffee if you are visiting the place for an early morning breakfast.  What we also noticed (and appreciated) was the fact that the cafe’s atmosphere seems to make their food taste even better. The interior is well-designed, and the seats are arranged in a way that makes the restaurant look less crowded. They are not secluded but leave enough space between the tables to maintain some privacy. Also, the cafe is well-lit with access to fast internet, making it an ideal place to get some work done too. If you want to get some fresh air, the place also has an outdoor seating space. And no, it’s not dusty or noisy, since the cafe is located in a quiet residential area.  The customer service here is good too. We say that because the staff kept refilling our glasses of water without having to ask. They are quite attentive to what their customers need or are looking for. And if you are not sure about what to have, the staff is more than happy to give you recommendations based on your preference. Since the place is always packed, it’s better if you make reservations beforehand. Good thing is that doing so will also fetch you a 10-20 percent discount.  Their specials:

• Mustang Aloo
• Grilled Chicken 
• Spaghetti with Meatballs

The first thing that comes to mind when we think of a good burger is a juicy patty that’s cooked perfectly, topped with just the right amount of veggies, cheese, mayonnaise, and sauce, sandwiched between crisp, buttery buns. And it should look appealing too, with the buns a little charred on the edges. That’s exactly what you get at T’s Your Palate, located at Z-Street in Thamel. The restaurant is known to serve the best burgers in town and it has become quite popular in the short time since its establishment. We usually recommend our readers to start off their meal with an appetizer but, with T’s Your Palate, the best thing would be to dig right into the burgers since the meal is quite heavy. And our personal favorite from the menu is Drop It Like It’s Hot. With every bite, you can taste the crunchy yet tender chicken patty. The lettuce, tomatoes, spanish onions, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, and their special sauce go nicely with the patty. The brioche bun is great too.  Since the burger is huge, the fillings tend to ooze out, but it’s worth the mess. For those who like red meat, Pulled Pork (OMG) is probably the best option. The pork-based patty is slow-cooked for six hours with red wine. It’s then placed on top of fresh coleslaw, with well-toasted and buttery buns. Their special sauce gives the perfect amount of heat but it isn’t very spicy either. In every bite, there’s this wonderfully smoky flavor. It can be a bit overpowering but it’s delicious. The preparation for this one is done well in advance but it’s served fresh and hot minutes after you place an order.  The same goes for Jaw Droppers. The highlight of this dish is the caramelized oyster mushrooms that’s sauteed with garlic and rosemary and placed on top of a sizzling hot buff patty. Additionally, it includes french onions, crispy bacon, fresh coleslaw, and cheese, all tied up together with their homemade spicy sauce. It’s an absolute delight.  Vegetarians need not fret as they have several meatless options. One of our favorites is Vejjo. It has a paneer-based patty which is soft and crispy, along with veggies, cheese, and their special sauce in-between the crispy buns. This dish is lighter in comparison, and can be a good choice even for a non-vegetarian looking to have something that’s not too heavy but is equally tasty.  They also have Mushu Rama, another veg burger, on the menu. The main ingredient of this dish is the barbequed and pulled oyster mushrooms and fresh coleslaw. Again, they use their homemade spicy sauce which gives the right amount of heat but doesn’t make the burger too spicy. Instead, it gives a nice burst of flavors in each bite. Besides the ones on the menu, you can also customize your own burger by choosing your preferred fillings and sauce.  Although burgers are their specialty, there are some starters they serve that deserve to be mentioned. The best of all is KTM Wings. Chicken wings are fried and tossed in a homemade sauce that’s both sweet and spicy. A Whole Lot of Crunch is equally good. Served with some potato chips on the side, this dish includes crunchy chicken tenderloins with creamy and cheesy sauce.  Unfortunately, for vegetarians, there aren’t many options in starters as compared to non-vegetarians. But you could definitely try Promise Ring, which is onion rings served with a sauce of your choice, and Cheesy Chips, which includes potatoes with their special cheese sauce drizzled on top. If you are looking for something light, try KTM Chips. It’s potato chips served with homemade seasonings. Although the choice is minimal, all three dishes are worth trying out. For drinks, we recommend the Mojito. This minty drink is a perfect companion to wash down the burgers.  The first impression you get while visiting the restaurant is that it’s clean, making it a great place to visit for a quick bite on a busy day as the price is quite reasonable. Although the place is always packed, their service is quick, and the staff take good care of their customers. Chef’s specials:

• Drop It Like It’s Hot

• Pulled Pork (OMG) 

• Jaw Droppers 

Korean food is one of the most popular cuisines in Nepal right now. It has been for a while, thanks to K-pop and K-dramas. People want to sample a piece of Korean culture through their food or indulge in what they see their favorite stars eat on television. Though it’s mostly youths who visit various Korean establishments, restaurateurs say that they regularly bring in their parents and relatives too. This week, we decided to try out the Korean BBQ Restaurant in Ekantakuna, Lalitpur, a relatively new place in an area that’s burgeoning with restaurants serving all types of cuisines, from Chinese to Turkish. It looks bright and beckoning, making you want to take some time and step right in when you are in the area. Spread across two floors, with ample space, Korean BBQ Restaurant can also be the perfect spot for a large gathering. Upon arrival, you are welcomed with Korean tea. It’s complementary, and you can choose to have it before or after your meal. The menu has a lot and can feel a little overwhelming, especially if you are new to Korean cuisine. But there are small explanations of what goes into each dish, making the process of ordering food a little simpler. You can also ask the staff and they will explain it quite well. We recommend the Budae Jjigae. It’s made with a variety of ingredients such as sliced meat (usually pork), seafood, ramen noodles, green onions, mushrooms, and kimchi, and it’s all served together in a large pot. The dish is traditionally shared among a group of people because you can’t have a lot of it at once so make sure you inquire about the portion size before you place the order. The dish is savory, spicy, and an absolute delight. The Kimbap here is also really good. Cooked rice, meat, fish, eggs, and vegetables are rolled together in a sheet of dried seaweed (gim). The rolls are then cut into bite-sized pieces and can be eaten as is, or with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. It’s healthy, light, and the portion they serve at Korean BBQ Restaurant is just right for one. You can also try Korean BBQ for the main course. One of the main attractions of Korean cuisine is the experience of cooking your food or grilling the meat at your table. By ordering this dish, you can do that. Table-top cooking is a common practice of serving and eating in Korean cuisine. Mostly it involves grilling thin slices of marinated meat, at the table on a gas or charcoal grill. For the Korean BBQ, the meat is marinated in advance in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and other seasonings. It’s accompanied by side dishes, such as kimchi, which is pickled or fermented vegetables, and a Korean sauce. Order this when you are at the restaurant with a group of people rather than just two people and it can be a really fun activity of sorts, kind of like a picnic. There are plenty of other dishes for you to try as well. We spoke to some of the regulars at the restaurant who vouched that you can’t go wrong with the food, no matter what you order. The ambience makes it ever better. The restaurant features a modern and minimalist design, with clean lines and a neutral color palette. The elements of traditional Korean architecture, such as curved roofs, sliding paper doors, and wooden stairs lend the place a Korean vibe, just like they show in one of those wildly popular K-dramas on Netflix. They also offer traditional Korean attire for both men and women. You can put one on and take a few pictures. There’s no extra charge for it. Though there are many equally good Korean eateries in the valley, we recommend you try Korean BBQ Restaurant when you’re in Lalitpur as it feels very authentic and nice. The food is prepared with utmost care and the servers are polite and friendly. It will definitely be an experience you are unlikely to forget. Korean BBQ Restaurant Ekantakuna, Lalitpur Opening hours: 11am – 10pm Meal for two: Rs 2,000 Online payment: Accepted Call: 01-5523334 Parking: Available