After spending a few hours at Nomads Garden, I didn’t want to leave. Why would anyone want to? The restaurant nestled in a quiet residential area just behind Ranibari offers more than just decent food. It offers customers like me an escape from the busy city.
Before visiting, I had thought that Nomads would be like any other eatery popping up in Kathmandu – the same range of food and tables and chairs arranged in the same manner. However, upon reaching the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised.
The restaurant’s ambiance is what makes it unique from others. Firstly, it is extremely quiet, which means chirping birds replaces the sound of vehicles. Along with that, the chaitya in the middle of the lush green carpet-like lawn adds more to your dining experience. Where else can you sit cross-legged listening to birds chirping in the presence of a chaitya?
The restaurant opened little over four months ago as John Upreti and Samir Maharjan felt the need to utilise the garden of their six bedroom Nomads Apartments.
Nomads Apartments opened in 2015 to cater the needs of foreigners who wanted their own space. Both Upreti and Maharjan, who spent some time abroad felt that while the apartment was doing well, they could do a lot more with space outside. The owners called the place ‘Nomads’ because it was initially opened for people who liked to live like travellers or wanderers.
“What was better than to open a garden restaurant,” says Upreti.
While the menu isn’t different from other eateries, Nomads’ food does taste good even though you’ll get better food in other eateries in Kathmandu.
The first dish I tried was the veg supreme pizza. It’s not the best pizza you’ll get in Kathmandu, but it is better than most that you get for a similar price. The sauce used in the base of the pizza is different from other restaurants. It has an Italian taste with hints of basil and parmesan which is complemented by the thin crust and further topped off by cheese and olives. Though it is a bit smaller in size, the dish is worth a try.
Along with the pizza, I also tried the cheese tangle. The cylindrical dish is a medley of potato and cheese in batter which comes with homemade mayonnaise and mustard dip and a chilly dip. The dish on its own has a creamy and gooey texture which is a bit sweet due to the potato. However, it does go well with the dip and is extremely fulfilling. It tastes better with the spicy sauce, but just as tasty with mayo. If you’re someone who enjoys deep fried food, definitely worth a try.
The last dish was the spicy mushroom. Upreti says he included this dish after trying it during a day out in Bhaktapur. The dish is similar to the deep fried mushrooms found in NPP or other stick food eateries, but batter and the use of nutmegs make it a bit different. It is oily, spicy and crunchy, which means it is an ideal appetiser with a cold drink.
The restaurant has also a wide range of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Nomads Garden isn’t your average restaurant. While the food has room for improvements, the ambiance and the activities you can do here more than make up for it. The evenings are nice and cool and as the sun goes down the place and it just transforms into something different with its warm lighting and the silence. If you’re the spiritual kind, you can put a mat on the green lawn and meditate.
They also try their best to support local manufacturers and suppliers, which is why most of the items you get here are fresh.
Phone: 985-1241790
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm
