Kathmandu Nepalese Cuisine 86 Northfield Ave, Ealing, London W13 9RR £-££
On Episode 11 (can you believe we’re now on episode ELEVEN?!), we left our home base in Northwest London and headed WEST to the London borough of Ealing to try out Kathmandu Nepalese Cuisine! Owners, Surendra and Sabina gave us a tour of the restaurant, insight into their culture, and a look into how some well-known Nepalese dishes are made.
If I asked you to start listing off world cuisines, I’m willing to bet Nepalese isn’t the first cuisine that comes to mind or even the 10th (I know what you're thinking, betting is haram. yes. yes it is). This Food Bangz is here to tell you, DON’T SLEEP ON NEPALESE CUISINE!!!! We weren’t sure what to expect, but we went in, as always, with an open mind and an appetite. And THE FOOD BANGED!
We told Surendra and Sabina to give us the works. And we ended up getting a food tour through the Kathmandu Valley, learning that with each change in terrain, follows a change in culture and cuisine.
We began our tour with a tall glass of Nepalese beer and a table full of appetizers. Here’s what was dished up: chicken chhoyla, tandoori paneer, chicken momos, and fish pakora.
In his sit down with Eli, Surendra gave us a motto that we won’t soon forget, ‘any time is momo time.’ He’s not wrong.
These steamed dumplings have become a popular dish here in London; and to be honest, momos were the only Nepalese dish we were remotely familiar with before Surendra and Sabina gave us a proper introduction to Nepalese cuisine.
And there is a reason why momos are top rated. Normally, you’ll find these pillows of deliciousness stuffed with a mixture of onion, coriander, chili and either spiced vegetables, lamb, or chicken (and buffalo in Nepal!) and served with a tomato and sesame chutney. Though the momos can be eaten alone, the flavours coming through when dipped in the chutney were really something special. The hint of coriander and onion and the juices packed in the momo along with the acidity and sweetness of the tomato, sesame, chili, garlic, and ginger mixture meld together to create an intensely warm flavour. They are eaten as a starter, a main, and even a snack at any time of day. Anytime is momo time!
Other than the momos, the other stand out appetizer for us was the chicken chhyola. The chicken was soft and tender and marinated in a perfect mix of garlic, ginger, and chili before being cooked in the tandoor oven.
Surendra and Sabina came out with far too many main dishes than we could handle, but we gave it our best shot. Here is what we got: gurkhali chicken, chicken biryani, Kathmandu lamb special curry, chicken tikka masala, chicken shashlik suppa, kwati special and naan.
Our favourites were the gurkhali chicken and the chicken shashlik suppa. The first came with a kick! And the second was naturally tender and sweet. But, every single dish was stand alone good. The naan is a must. And you can’t go wrong with Britain’s most popular dish, chicken tikka masala. Surendra said a Nepalese chef in London came up with this recipe, but its origins will forever remain a mystery—wherever it came from, it’s delicious. The biryani is also a shout.
Over our bangin meal, we learned just how many customs and traditions the Himalayas house. Though the vast majority of Nepalese persons ascribe to Hinduism, there are also large Buddhist and Muslim communities found throughout the country and hundreds of different cultures and ethnic groups that dot the Himalayas. Kathmandu, known as the city of temples, is where they all meet. Walk into Kathmandu Nepalese Cuisine and you’ll get a sense of this.
Kathmandu Nepalese Cuisine was a pleasant surprise and well worth the visit to Ealing. The service was outstanding. Surendra and Sabina and the amazing floor manager were kind and inviting and shared a wealth of knowledge about the Kathmandu Valley with us. Their love and appreciation for their culture and their passion for sharing Nepalese cuisine with all was unmistakable.
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