Nepal: Kathmandu - Restaurants Review in Thamel.

No, not yet Pokhara. 

I found this "random food" pix folder and i decided to blog the foods we ate and restaurant we dined in Kathmandu.

Most of the people ask bout food safety issue before travelling to Nepal. So let me answer those questions that you might be concern. 

1. Does food in Nepal generally clean?

I cant give a very clear answer though hahahahahaah.

Ok, 8 out of 10 restaurants we dined in were generally clean in term of environment, foods were nice and sizzling hot, service were good.

We didn't eat any street foods (okay maybe once or twice) nor drink tap water (which is not drinkable), we only drank mineral bottle water or can / bottle beverage sold in restaurant, and yea we were fine until we dined in one so called famous restaurant that probability caused us food poisoning.  

2. What's the price range of food?

Good questions and i didn't joint down our daily food cost in my travel log....

If my memory serves me right, we spent less than USD 10 in restaurant that sells local food like momos (dumpling) and noodle soups, while in western food restaurant (we dined a few time because John is yellow outside but white in the inside) we average spent double. 

3. Food choices?

You name it, Kathmandu has it. We ate Korean, Japanese, Chinese, India, Malaysia, Western foods in Kathmandu and Pokhara in the last few days because we cant take momos anymore. 

4. What is my recommend local food?

Momos aka dumpling. We mad for momos in the first few days, either its fried or soup or steam, chicken or beef or pork or vege, we loved momos and had it almost every meal. 

The consequence is we don't feel like eating dumpling since that until now.   

Alright i will go through some restaurants and food we had in Kathmandu (Pokhara's will be blog soon) and it all good, except the last one, which is the one that probably caused us food poisoning. 

Here we go!

Notes: All of the following restaurants are located in Thamel, i was trying to print screen the location from google map but i failed due to some are unsearchable. Anyway Thamel district is small which consist of few interconnected streets, i guess you guys will find these restaurants like us did anyway.  

1. Momotarou Restaurant 

This is a Japanese restaurant and was the first restaurant we dined in right after we came back from EBC trek. We were dying to have some sizzling hot and salty foods after that whole 5 days of eating tasteless simple food. 

Momotarou is few shops away from Kathmandu Eco Hotel, selling Japanese and selective Chinese foods.  

Infor on the menu

My order: Ramen with pork.

Fats' order: Beef don or something like that hahahahahahah

side order: fried chicken.

This is not the only Japanese restaurant that we visited but a few others, but we came back for 2nd times because they serve great foods and we loved it. 

The restaurant is small and if you really want some oriental foods here, i'd advice you to avoid going at peak hours.

2.  Forever Cafe

The first attempt to this restaurant cafe was free wifi, simply because John couldn't live without internet. But turned out to be one of our fave restaurant in Kathmandu.

Cafe restaurant, serve most western foods and some local food like momos.

Everest beer.

John's burger, portion is big enough.

Pork chop with mashes potatoes for me. 

I like John's burger more compare to my unpleasant look's pork chop (it doesn't taste impressive too).

I had spaghetti in the second visit and it was good.

Reasonable price, good service, free wifi and standard foods, so yea if you want some western food, why not give a try?

3. Bhungro Restro & Bar

Visit to this restaurant was not in our plan, we don't even noticed this hidden restaurant when we were on our walking tour from Thamel to Durbar Square, until John was putting up his long face because of hungry.

I was searching for place to eat and saw the below board on the roadside.  

what catch his eye is free wifi. 

what catch my eyes is the menu and brunch / lunch discount.

We walked into an old building which directed by the board. This little restaurant is on the 2nd floor of the old building, very charm deco and atmosphere. We picked the window seat and looked over the street view, we spent more than a lunch time there just because we were so comfortable sitting in the restaurant.

steam chicken momos with special chili paste.

John's Nepali set lunch, 6 dishes with rice and huge portion

my fried rice. A little spicy but nice. 

Unexpected visit turned out to be our favorite restaurant in Nepal. Love their Nepali set's curry and lassi (something like yogurt), it was the best we had in whole Nepal trip.

4. YangLing Restaurant  

YangLing Restaurant is tibetan restaurant, selling tibetan food and chinese foods. It is also one of the Lonely Planet's recommend restaurant.

We dined once here and both of us agree that they served the best momos we had in the entire trip.

the menu

I had Thukpa, the home made noodle soup. Small portion but very rice favor. If you're wondering what is the topping, it is smoked pig skin. 

We only ordered momos and noodle soup because this is our second dinner hahahahahahaha.

We wanted some tibetan foods but John cant stop himself to had burger again in Forever restaurant, so that's why.

It was shame to not try their fried momos though. =(

5. Chicken Falafel Store.

This is our supper in one cold night.

We walked by and saw lots of people q-ing up for this chicken wrap and we wanted something hot to warm ourselves so decided to ignore it is street food and get one to share.

looks clean although the cook uses his bare hand to pick up salad.. 

its not cheap compare to local food but good portion size. 

we had chicken wrap.

6. Thamel House (not recommended)

Alright this is the suspended restaurant that caused us food poisoning which i had mentioned earlier.

Thamel House served Nepali tranditional foods, free dancing show every nights and its recommended by Lonely Planet.

It wasn't cheap at all to dined in this restaurant, although you can refill all the dishes in only one cost, but the price is more than double than the other restaurant.

Nice environment, nice setting in an old building. We picked the seat on the second floor which could glance the stage in first floor. But dancing show stopped whenever the current cut off, dancers weren't professional, they talked and laugh to each other while performing.

the restaurant.

i had non-refill set, mutton curry. And yes, that small scopes of rice is my main course and that's all i have. 

John's refillable Nepali sets. 2 or 3 kinds of meat curry and some cold and hot vege dished. 

The very next day we dined in this restaurant, both John and I had diarrhea, we were forced to cancel the whole day plan and stay in hotel.

John recovered quicker than me because i have weak stomach, i took about a week time to fully recover.

I wouldn't our sickness were caused by this restaurant (another provability was the milk tea we had in the same day noon time), but i will not recommend anyone to go to this restaurant due to its overcharge foods, unprofessional dancing show and poor food portion and quality.  

Alright that's all i have and last but not least...

My kelisa in Nepal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahah. 

Next will be Porkhara, hope i will come back quick *run away*

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

20140306, 0932pm

Rach in goin to shower mood. 

Nepal: Kathmandu - Swayambhunath Temple aka Monkey Temple.

All seeing eye in Swayambhunath, Nepal.

Swayambhunath aka Monkey Temple is one of the main temple in Kathmandu, located on a mountain just outside of the Kathmandu hub. 

Although its just 3 to 4km away from Thamel district, but it takes about 20 minutes from Thamel to the place, because of the road condition. 

You have to bargain whenever you wave a cab (or a private taxi), we paid RS300 (RM 10+-) for that distance and consider very good deal as others offered RS500 to RS800.

from Thamel to Swayambhunath

Before we move down for more photos, lets go through some travel information that you might be looking for:

1. Does this temple charge a entrance fee?
Yes, RS200 for foreigner. You can barely running out from the ticket because the ticket counter is set up beside the end of the stair.

2. How long it takes to visit the whole temple?
Again, its very much depend on what you want to see. Beside the main temple aka all seeing eye as you see in the first picture of this post. There are a few small temple and hall to visit.
Of course, souvenir shops and F&B stores are available too.
For us, we took around 3 hours, and that including we sat down for a praying ceremony.

Advice: 
1. As this temple is located on the top of a hill, you've to walk along a long and steep stair, consider if you're fit to climb all the walk up and wear comfortable shoes and outfit.
2. Be respect, avoid to wear sexiness.
3. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM KIDS, this is encouraging them to quit from school and work.
4. BARGAIN for everything you buy, and check if stuff you get is what you choose.

Alright lets move down for some picture.

Took this after i passed the arched door. 

and this is the long and steep stair

all handcrafted

never, ever give them money, you're not helping but encourage to begging.

stalls along the stair.

why its also called Monkey Temple, because a lot of monkeys gather in this mountain la!

monkey boy.

fine piece of craft. 

taken from the top, the pink clay is ticket counter, so you cant run.

finally. And thanks for the perfect weather. 

fats.

and monkey.....

another angle. 

spinning the prayer wheels... 

to hope for peace and smooth on everything.

and more monkey..

random but i like this. 

praying.

buddha in another side of the mountain.

this as well.

red powder on the forehead means blessing.

souvenir shop and we got a pair of tiger padlock here, both of us born in tiger year. 

stone God.

all-seeing eye everywhere.

monkey is praying too.

putting up eye liner to ask for blessing.

love this cute little baby girl.

Kumari imitated little girl is not easy to find in monkey temple.

every faces i met in Nepal is unforgettable. 

praying stuff.

wanted to get one home but John stops me :(

last but not least, Monkey kutu :D

Alright so this mark the end of Kathmandu post, the next will be Pokhara, a small little town surrounded by mountains and lakes, which is 7 hours away from Kathmandu.

ok bai see ya soon :D










Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
20140225, 0900pm
Rach in goin down for some tv later mood.