A taste of Nepal in Edinburgh
On a busy thoroughfare in the West End of Edinburgh, Scotland, is an unassuming restaurant surrounded by other, more glamorous cousins. But never judge a book by its cover. Inside is a place that is simple on the eye but anything but simple on the palette. The Khukuri at Haymarket in Edinburgh has been running since 1997. Around nine months ago the original owner retired and it came under the new management of Mukesh and Sunil Sharma. While simplifying the décor—getting rid of those cliché mountain pictures that dominate Nepali restaurants around the world—and adding even more authentic Nepali khana to the menu, there is a continuity that works well, in that the current manager also worked under the previous owner.
The Sharma brothers arrived in the UK in the 1990s, studying hospitality and web design respectively, so they understand the local as well as Nepali preferences. For them it is all about customer service and satisfaction. The person who really interested me, however, was Ramesh Kumar Shrestha, the manager.
Having come to Scotland in 2009, Shrestha spent the first month wondering what he could do in this new land. Fortunately, he came in contact with the original owner of the restaurant, who was known for helping Nepalis in Scotland. “I came here not knowing anyone but within a month I got a job at the Khukuri, where I worked for two years. I came back to the Khukuri in 2014,” explains Shrestha.
“Today, under the new management, there is definitely more customers and we are thinking of opening a second branch where we staff will have shares,” says Shrestha. “We get many Nepalis coming here—for example Gurkha soldiers who train nearby.”
Working in the Khukuri are nine other staff, seven of them Nepalis. Mukesh is studying under the restaurant’s chef to improve his knowledge of Nepali cuisine. “We are in the process of introducing sekwa and items such as channa chatpate, black dal, tare ko aloo, and lal mohan”, explains Sunil. The restaurant is sourcing saag but at the moment it is not finding exactly what it is looking for, “so are thinking of growing saag in our own small garden at the back”.
“Our customers are extremely important to us and whatever we are doing seems to be working. We are now 67th in Trip Advisor for Edinburgh, whereas before the restaurant stood at number 326th,” Mukesh chimes in. “What’s more, today we are number one among Nepali restaurants and number seven among Asian restaurants in the city.”
And, the menu? What got me to the Khukuri was the fact they have bara (Rs 450), an all-time favorite of mine, and kheer, which is something I haven’t seen in other Nepali restaurants around the globe. Momos (Rs 700) are a feature, with a momo madness day held once a month, when customers can satisfy their craving for these little packets of flavor. Other things that caught my eye were kwaanti soup (Rs 700) and chicken or lamb choyla (Rs 700).
I sampled the bara, advertised as made with ground black lentils. I was told that this did not prove popular with Nepali customers, thus the revised version comes over as a heavy bread-like pancake, which is now much loved by Nepali and non-Nepali customers alike.
I also tasted the chicken curry, with garlic nan, in their ‘Namche’ style (Rs 1,700; plenty for two people). The sauce contains jimbu and timur, again favorites of mine. I could do with more timur as I like my tongue to go numb! I was delighted to see Everest beer and Khukri rum on the drinks menu. Definitely something for the home-sick Nepali, and me!
Perfect rice place in Pokhara
Your Pokhara trip will be incomplete without at least one Thakali meal. Trust us on this. Our APEX food sleuths have found just the place to fill your soul with the best of the Nepali rice platter. Jetho Budho at Lakeside, Pokhara (first floor of the famous Oxygen Lounge building) is one of the newest eateries in the lake-city which is getting popular for its mouth-watering rice offerings.
Named after a rice called ‘jetho budho’ (the ‘king of rice’ that is locally grown in the Fewa Taal region of Pokhara), Jetho Budho is an upscale version of the many set-meal restaurants in the area. With a typical Thakali ambience created by its wooden floors and ceilings, Nepali handicrafts and paintings as well as traditional Nepali crockery, the food at Jetho Budho is gorgeously served and a treat to any connoisseur of rice, which, we guess, applies to most Nepalis.
THE MENU
Chef’s Special:
- Chicken Khana Set
- Mutton Khana Set
- Fish Khana Set
Opening hours: 10 am-10 pm
Location: Lakeside, Pokhara
Cards: Accepted
Meal for 2: Rs 1,000
Reservations: 9806717273
The many shades of Basu-dev
Watching this one-and-a-half-hour play about love, drugs and lust in the dimly-lit Kunja Theatre in Thapagaun will make you repeatedly question your fast-paced life. You may also start rethinking your early adulthood.The four actors in ‘Basu-dev’ are nearly flawless. They show you the dark underbelly of Kathmandu, where young adults feel lost in their life, distant from their families, and unaware of the consequences of their actions. They make wrong decisions all the time while following their “cool” friends.
Although advertised as “kid-friendly” on social media, it is packed with lip-locks, sexual innuendos, sexually intimate moments and a lot of swearing. All this does not come across as weird and awkward as the story calls for it. The actors being cool about it all makes the play even more interesting.
The background music and light complement the set well. Though there is some awkward dancing, and towards the end, you might be looking at your watch, this play is still a very good package. There is tension, comedy, love and drama.
Sijal Bajracharya, 23, who had never seen a theatrical play before, says, “I really enjoyed it. It made me realize that the youth of Nepal are very talented and have a lot of potential. I had not expected much to be honest, so this play exceeded my expectations.”
Produced by Four Cube Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Basu-dev is directed by Sandeep Shrestha and Nabin Bhatt. The play is at 5:30 pm every day, till September 16 (except on Wednesdays). On Saturday, there is a matinee show at 1:30 pm.
Photos by Pritam Chhetri
The flourish of five female painters
SADAN ‘the five petals’ group art exhibition at the Classic Art Gallery, Imukhel offers a vibrant art experience, featuring the work of five young female artists: Sabita Dangol, Anamika Gautam, Deepmala Maharjan, Anisha Maharjan and Namrata Singh. Madan Chitrakar, an artist and art critic, says the paintings are unique because all the artists are young and come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
“The art gallery has always aimed to empower women artists and this is an event that highlights our willingness to do so,” says Sarita Dangol, the organizer of the exhibition. According to Dangol, some paintings are available for sale as well.
The exhibition provides a fresh and diverse art experience as well as an opportunity to explore some paintings that may adorn your walls.
You can visit any day of the week between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The exhibit ends on September 25.
