The name ‘Lhakpa’s Chulo’ might suggest you a conservative Tibetan and mountainous food hub. But visit this place and you will get a pleasant surprise. Nestled in a quiet place away from the bustle of the city in a cottage with a neat garden, Lhakpa’s Chulo stands out from all the restaurants in Jhamsikhel.
The place maintains traditional Nepali décor with earthy colours and neat interiors. Large Buddha copper statues in the indoors and soothing soft music make you feel you’re in a restaurant in Bouddha or Swayambhu.
Their menu, made from lokta paper, offers you a wide range of recipes from around the world. One can choose from the traditional Nepali dal bhat to Italian risotto and Thai green curry.
For the appetiser, you can try the spinach and cheese momo. The cheese adds a cheesy and creamy flavour to the dish. The spinach adds earthy flavours. What you like the most about the momo is it is light and the filling is extremely well spiced. This dish is worth a try even if you’re not a vegetarian. If you don’t like your greens, you can try their chicken momo, which is just as good.
After the momo, go for the chicken parmigiana. The dish brings together three tasty components: breaded chicken, savoury tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. All delicious on their own and even better when brought together. the cheese and sauce complement the tender chicken cooked to perfection. It comes with a side of couscous prepared in the restaurant itself.
For the main course, you can have the Thai red curry. Completely different from Indian curries, this Thai chicken curry is spicy and has a hint of sourness which plays to your savoury taste buds more than other curries. The chicken is tender and the tangy, and the spicy gravy that comes with it goes quite well with the rice. It is an intense, thick and moist blend of flavourful ingredients. Like the chicken parmigiana, this too comes in a larger portion if you order it from the main menu.
If you are a bit of a sweet tooth, try two desserts – lemon meringue and chocolate brownie.
The lemon meringue has three different textures and tastes. Its crust is chewy and has a buttery pastry flavour. The lemon filling underneath the crust is smooth and creamy. The meringue topping is light and fluffy and just melts in your mouth. The sweetness of the meringue balances out the sour from the lemon. And the part of the topping, turned golden brown, tastes like a toasted marshmallow.
The chocolate brownie is quite different from the lemon meringue. Freshly prepared, the brownie is warm, soft and extremely fulfilling. The tiny, moist chunks of chocolate melt as soon it hits your tongue and is complemented by the vanilla ice cream. You have to try both the desserts.
Lhakpa’s Chulo is in operation for the past 10 years; that in itself is quite an achievement. The chef has remained the same and that resonates in the food which is topnotch. The service is just good and that makes this place a must visit. The menu might seem to be on the pricier side, but the food and the ambience compensate the cost.
Location: Pulchowk (The alley opposite Roadhouse)
Phone: 01-5542986
Opening hours: 11 am to 9:30 pm (Opening for breakfast soon)
