The customer is always right
It’s not something you often hear in Kathmandu: ‘The customer is always right’. For those unfamiliar with the phrase, or living in Nepal for so long they have forgotten its meaning, it translates into ‘good customer service’! Having just bought a SIM card, and being wished happy birthday for the next day by the saleswoman (copy of passport required and it seems she had taken note) I stand outside Arrivals at Changi Airport wondering my best route. Instantly my body language is noted and there is assistance at hand. Changi employs people whose sole job is to advise lost-looking tourists. This was just the beginning of three days of great customer service!
I’m amused to note that Singaporean taxi drivers have the same basic conversations as those in Nepal: where are you from, how do you like the country, etc, etc. They also have a great sense of humor. I’m told by a laughing (middle-aged) driver “That time has expired la” when I explain I lived in Singapore 25 years ago. He is highly amused and amusing. I notice waiting staff are very efficient and can make recommendations on or off the menu. I notice seats reserved for the elderly or people with special needs on public transport left vacant or given up willingly. But good customer service is not restricted only to human interaction. Great signposting and information boards make Singapore extremely easy to negotiate; it’s hard to go wrong really. So, yes, I enjoy my days of being ‘always right’ and the feeling of being welcome as a visitor to this small country.
Then I move on to Indonesia. I’m instantly reminded of Nepal. People trying really hard to please but just being slightly off-point and often being a bit grumpy or employing that giggle that foreigners often mistake as rudeness but which is actually covering a momentary insecurity. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of conflict between a foreigner and a local because of that giggle. But last year when in Scotland I realized that I have come to not only accept but expect it.
The occasion was getting out of a swimming pool which had steps rather than a ladder. Somehow I managed to slip and fall up the steps. Turning to the Scottish ladies nearby I expected the sympathetic, slightly embarrassed, not-quite-sure-whatto- say giggle. What I got was concerned words and looks. Which somehow made me feel more stupid for falling.
“Don’t have” is the bored reply as an assistant gives a nanosecond glance to the sample bangle I have with me
Meantime over in Bangkok I’m searching a huge shopping mall for the cheap bangles I bought there in the past. “Don’t have” is the bored reply as an assistant gives a nano-second glance to the sample bangle I have with me. “Don’t have” is a common response in Thailand but I’m never sure whether it means they really don’t have the item or you and your request are too small to deal with. Finding the required bangles myself, the assistant is happy enough to take my money though. My thoughts run something like “… see you had them, you just didn’t want to bother looking for an item costing less than $6 …..” I wander off into the maze of stalls. A few minutes later the girl comes running up, full of smiles at having found me, clutching my sample bangle which I had dropped. Sometimes cultural differences make it hard to see customer service which is there all along!
No need to discuss the ‘customer service’ rolled-out at the TIA! In fact having been dazzled by Changi Airport I think a little comparison review is needed. Until then, have a great week and thank you for taking the time to read this column!
By the Way, it’s play time!
I never thought I would be writing about a children’s playground. But recently I found myself taking a couple of kids along to ‘By the Way Organic Garden with Kids Venue’ on the recommendation of a friend. Those of you who have kids will know that playgrounds in Kathmandu are few and far between. I’ve been to Alice Restaurant in Naxal several times as they have a nice little play area for children. But the problem with Alice is it’s a victim of its own success. It can be impossible to get a table there on weekends and holidays!
So I was interested to find out more about By the Way Organic Garden with Kids Venue (By the Way, for short). We arrived on New Year’s Day around 1pm and the place was ours alone. A large outdoor space as well as an almost as large indoor space dedicated to kids. Swings, slides, various things to climb on, climb over, crawl through, hide inside or jump off were on offer in a rainbow of colours. “WOW” said one child. “Wow” said I. “Wow” mimicked the taxi driver. Within the next half hour two other families arrived giving the children new friends to interact with. There seemed a camaraderie between the adults—like we were sharing a little-known secret.
Inside, apart from the play area, there are two areas set up for adults. One is more café style, with nice seating, and the other more canteen style. If you can drag the children away from the play apparatus to eat! But I have to say, the menu did not live up to the ‘organic garden’ name. The usual momos, chicken wings, pizza and French fries were on offer. Perfect for children of course. But we three (bideshi) adults wanted a good cappuccino and something a little less oily. This inspired me to find out more. And give some constructive feedback!
With no management on site that day, I later contacted one of the team of partners, Shanta Dev Duwadi. The waiter had already told me that the current management was new, and I found out that the restaurant has been running only a few months. When I asked Duwadi about the reason behind By the Way, it was much as I expected. “We grew up in a Kathmandu with green spaces but today there is nowhere for children to play. There are no public parks and very few homes have gardens. We wanted to create somewhere safe and sunny for children.”
Although the playground had been running for some time, the restaurant is a new venture by the current management. Now for some feedback! Perfect as the menu was for the kids (momos and French fries are pretty much what they want regardless), us adults would have enjoyed something healthier. The main draw is, 100 percent, the playground and facilities for the kids. But the addition of just one coffee machine would make all the difference to me.
Duwadi mentioned that they have agriculture land in the valley and they plan to introduce their own, homegrown vegetables to the menu in due course. Not quite organic, but without chemical pesticides.
It was also mentioned that the masala and spices used in the kitchen are freshly made, not shop bought. Home grown vegetables and fresh spices on the menu and the planned small vegetable market is something to look forward to. Meantime, I noticed a BBQ counter and was told this is only available on pre-booking for private parties. And with plenty of parking space it’s the ideal place for kids’ parties. Definitely!
Situated at Maharajgunj and open from 9am till 7pm, By the Way charges Rs 150 per hour per child. Which I feel is worth the money. And yes, we will be back on a regular basis! For further information check out their Facebook page or call 01-4371030.
Palatable pizzas from Pokhara
The no-less-than legendary Pokhara Pizza House has had a branch in Kathmandu for a couple of years now. With its pizzas priced at just Rs 300 a pop, its luscious offerings are already winning the hearts of the Valley’s food connoisseurs. Popular among budget tourists and locals of the Lakeside area, the Pokhara Pizza House’s Kathmandu branch at Dhumbarahi serves the same fire-wood pizzas they’ve been selling since 2009. The mid-sized, decently priced pizzas can be eaten at the quaint little venue, ordered online or via phone, and the delivery is free.
We recommend you visit the place though, with its exotic placement in the middle of a small plateau formed between Dhumbarahi Chowk and Sukedhara. You can gulp on some chilled draught beer at the joint too.
THE MENU
Chef’s Special:
- Firewood Pizzas
- Chicken Wings
- Draught Beers
Opening hours: 11 am-9 pm
Location: Dhumbarahi
Cards: Not accepted
Meal for 2: Rs 1000
Reservations: 014377722, 9851240267
Grunge is not dead, neither is rock
I met them on a lazy Saturday afternoon—hot, humid and just lethargic. Now Saturday afternoon is not a good time to meet musicians. With complaints of how their (and mine) Friday-night shenanigans had them still sleep deprived, we slugged a few cups of coffee at Basantapur before finally mustering the energy to get to the office of Skathi Records—a literally underground studio at Lagan where the band ‘Shree 3’ rehearses. Totally worth the time and energy spent though. I was awestruck by their raw energy and how tight they sounded even in rehearsals. I also managed to get a raw video footage of “The Monk”, a song with an infectious guitar riff, from their upcoming album. (Follow the QR code for the video.)
The band came to life in 2016 as a side project of three proficient musicians already playing for different other bands. Sarad Shrestha (Tumbleweed) on guitars and vocals, Rozet Gurung ( Jugaa, Nude Terror) on bass and Robin Neupane (Tumbleweed, H.O.S.) on drums complete the lineup of Shree 3, a power trio. Nothing to do with the dynastic rule of the Ranas; the name Shree 3 just signifies the number of band members.
As for their music, although band members do not prefer tagging themselves with any single genre, at its heart Shree 3 is an alternative rock band that also explores stoner rock, desert rock and a lot of grunge. With Sarad’s heavily overdriven guitars and unique finger-style playing, his raw vocals reminiscent of the alternative greats of the 90s, Rozet’s groovy basslines, and Robin’s steady drum beats, the band is a complete package of skilled musicianship and scintillating energy.
“We make most of our music while jamming at rehearsals,” says Sarad, who also writes lyrics for the band. “We discuss topics and then conceptualize the songs we’re going to work on. A song may originate in one of Rozet’s bass grooves or Robin’s drum beats.” For inspiration, the band looks up to heavy music from the 60s to the late 90s— heavy metal, punk, rock n’ roll, grunge and all.
Shree 3’s previous singles “Eutai Antya” and “Sanity Wreck” are already popular among Nepali listeners and their latest, “Maze”, is also getting a lot of attention on social media. The band, even in its short history, has already been able to tour eastern Nepal—a region where Nepali artists long to play. Love and support from the easterners is a measure of success for any Nepali artist. The band already has a small but supportive fan base across the country, perhaps owing to the reputation of band members from their past exploits. “We have been taking it slow at Shree 3 due to our commitments with other bands,” Sarad says. “But now that we are releasing our first album, we will be doing more shows around the country.”
“This is an experimental album,” Rozet talks about “Drabya Dharma”, the band’s upcoming album. “There are 10 songs, each one sounding very different to the others. We have tried a lot of sub genres. Our influences come to play here and we’re still trying to find our sound.” Robin, one of the most popular drummers in the current music scene, adds that the inspiration for Shree 3’s music comes from the grunge era of the 90s as well as progressive rock. “I like to keep it groovy and not complicate the music with technicalities,” Robin says.
Drabya Dharma (roughly: ‘the religion of money’) is an independent album the band is set to release on its own. “As the name suggests, our themes are mostly distraught individuals and how they relate to the world,” Sarad says. “But there are messages of awareness in our music too,” Rozet adds.
Without a record label, the band is releasing the album with the help of its friends, namely Skathi Records and US-based Tarang Entertainment. “We got great response to our previous singles which motivated us to cut the new album,” Sarad says. “With a few English numbers, we’re also trying to enter the international arena.”
Shree 3’s “Drabya Dharma” is set to release amid a concert at Purple Haze, Thamel, on May 18. Local acts ASM, Kaagaz and Hermeneutics of Suspicion (H.O.S) will be supporting Shree 3 with opening performances. After the release, the album will also be available on online platforms like Spotify, Bandcamp and iTunes.
