Experience the True Essence of Nepal at Bhojan Griha

Bhojan Griha isn’t just your typical Nepali restaurant, it is a royal experience that makes you feel like a regal feasting in his/her lavish château.

Amidst the hurdle of the city, there lies a château concealed by the concrete jungle of Kathmandu. A prehistoric royal residency, Bhojan griha, today is a culture abode, a diner that represents the true essence of Nepal. Bhojan Griha isn’t just your typical Nepali restaurant, it is a royal experience that makes you feel like a regal feasting in his/her lavish château. The live cultural performances and recitals take you to the diverse villages of Nepal and give you an insight to Nepali lifestyle, and most importantly it gives you a taste of Nepal directly from the fresh and organic farms of the country.

My first experience in Bhojan Griha left me in awe. Bhojan Griha in Nepali translates into “ House of Feast” and it definitely stands up to its name. A pioneer in authentic Nepali Cuisine, it gives an ultimate royal dining experience.Every moment in that château was exhilarating and intriguing. Just as we entered the compound,  the lavish architecture of the yellow building captivated our attention. The building dates back over 100 years and was once a residence of royal priests and has a very nostalgic environment. Inside the complex, there is an organic grocery store called Kheti Bazar. Serving organic food since 2006 A.D, Khetti Bazar is dedicated to promoting “Organic movement” in Nepal.

Another interesting thing about this diner is their dedication to preserving the environment. Plastic items are banned inside their premises in any form as far as possible. This initiative has resulted to save approximately 20,000 mineral water bottles per year.

As we entered the main entrance to the building, the hospitable staff greeted us with a tika. We were then escorted to the main seating area through a beautiful courtyard that has stood through the passage of time. The old pictures of the walls narrate the struggles that it went through during the process of preservation and the beautiful interior design reveals the exotism of the Rana era.

When we entered the main seating area, we were dazzled by the traditional live music and the verdict accordion recitals. After being seated, a combo of popcorn, soybeans and gundruk was served– a common way of welcoming guests is a Nepali household. Immediately after that, a waiter poured local organic alcohol from a bass snouted vessel into a tiny brass cup. Then, waiters dressed in daura suruwal(national dress of Nepal) brought out fresh momos and our desired starters. We tried their fan-favourite chicken choila, pork sekuwa and egg bara. In every bite, you can sense the freshness of the ingredients; the juicy momos, the flavoursome chicken and delicious baras will surely tantalize your taste buds with its strong flavours. What makes the food even more appetizing is the cultural performances from different diverse groups of Nepal that are engaging, but not too overpowering. The sarangi player accompanied them with hilarious recitals that made our visit very interesting.

For the main course, we were served the typical Nepali thali which consists of rice, daal, fried fish, sauteed mushroom pickled sauce, boneless chicken curry, seasonal curry with cauliflower carrots and peas. The performance slowly dimmed and the waiters seamlessly decorated our brass plate with one dish after the another. The mouthwatering platter was absolutely delicious and we couldn’t resist asking for a second serving.

Bhojan Griha is a must-visit of Kathmandu for anybody coming to Kathmandu. Although named “House of Feast”, it is more than just a house of food. It is a cultural experience, an important part of history and a representation of Nepal’s diversity.

Ayusha Pradhananga