(Credit: Molly V. Strzelecki)
- Photos:
-
Kathmandu's décor isn't much to look at. Actually, it's somewhat reminiscent of a bare bones wedding reception, what with all the chair covers and white linens. The whole place is just so...white. But who cares about that? You can't eat napkins. (Well, you could, but again, not recommended.) When the weather's nice, forego the barren interior for outdoor dining, instead.
Kathmandu's banquet-style room next door mainly hosts private parties, but the day we visited, things were pretty quiet, foreshadowing that extra-special-attentive service we love. We're pretty confident, though, patrons always get that extra-special-attentive service here, whether it's slow or not.
Besides, once seated, your biggest concern becomes what to eat. The spices! The choices! The wonder of it all!
Dish: For such a tiny restaurant, the menu at Kathmandu Kitchen is big. The cuisine—described as a mix of Indian, Nepalese and American cuisines (though we're still pondering that American part)—translates into a whole lot of options. And, whether you're in the mood for chicken, lamb, fish or a vegetarian dish, so long as you're in the mood for food with incredibly flavorful spices and rich textures, you're in the right place.
After a thorough hemming and hawing, we opted for the lunch buffet (available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily). After all, variety is the spice of life, right? The buffet brimmed with traditional dishes, like shahi paneer, chicken tikki masala, freshly baked naan, alu kauli (cauliflower and potatoes sautéed with onions and mild spices), basari rice, and more. Another choice included an order of lamb momo, which are Nepali steamed dumplings stuffed with lamb and incredibly fragrant and delicious spices. It was served up with a momo chutney, which the waitress said was basically a puree of sesame, tomato and green chilies and which we decided was heaven in a bowl. What's really cool is that if you don't feel like eating in, you can get anything at Kathmandu Kitchen—even selections from the buffet—to go.
Damage: Many of the options on the menu hovered slightly above the $10 cap these reviews strive to adhere to, but the lunch buffet and a very filling order of lamb momo both shimmied in at $8.95 each. The total bill: $18.79.
Decision: The consensus is that the price is right for a full belly, especially if you opt for the lunch buffet. You get to sample a lot of different dishes, eat as much as you want and still not shell out too much moolah. Win-win-win all around.
