Dine al fresco at Yala Traditions

As artistic as its ambience, the exquisite food here is bound to astound you

Settled amidst the narrow lanes of Patan, Yala Mandala is a unique artisans place that mainly focuses on contemporising rich tradition. A conglomeration of art, handicrafts and food service, Yala Mandala has become a hive, attracting most tourists who seek solace from their busy chores.

Yala Traditions, referring to the restaurant at Yala Mandala, is one of their main attractions that serves a mix of both local and international taste. Their main theme is to sustainably make use of local products to prepare a dish that teases your taste buds for hours. Unwind yourself in the serenity, maybe bask in the sun at the backyard garden and try out their famous spaghetti. Go al fresco, a good book and a great dish might be your calling this season.

For a starter, their vegan Yala Special Salad is beautifully intermingled with a combo of vegetables and seasonal fruits. With Thai sweet chilly dressing, this salad gives you a taste of freshness with its garden-fresh organic lettuce, juicy citrus fruits with a side of two slices of crispy bread.

One of the recently introduced main course dishes in this chic restaurant is The Khasi Chop, the signature dish of the Head Chef, Suman Ranjitkar. This lavish looking dish has some rich flavours one cannot help but devour. The chop has a base of mashed potatoes, dipped wholly in customised maple brandy sauce that is sweetened to perfection. The local mutton meat is very tender and comes with dry apples and walnuts with a side bowl of buttered vegetables marinated in the same maple sauce.

At Yala Traditions, you won’t find just basic nachos to fill your afternoon appetite. The nachos here are a specimen of the best of culinary arts. For the Nimki, wheat flour and spinach (for colour green) or beetroot (for colour red) is mould together to form respective colours. A cheesy and colourful delicacy, topped with spiced salsa in red wine vinegar and sour cream, the enticing presentation of the dish alone is enough to excite your heart at first glance.

You don’t want to skip desserts here at Yala, especially if it is the Cheesecake. The cheese is self-made from Juju Dhau and the delight as a whole is a fusion piece, a wonderful combination of western ingredients with a Nepali take. A scoop to the mouth and the cheesy filling will surely make you ask for more.

For the drinks, Yala mule is the preferred choice of cocktail. This drink has a base as aila, local Newari alcohol, and is mixed with simple syrup and lemon juice. A pinch of ginger and mint is also added giving the drink extra freshness. Another drink to add to your favourites is their spiced aila that comes in small tequila glasses. Mixed with local spices, spiced aila is something you can treat yourself while with friends.

Besides these, Buffalo steak, Fungi pancetta Spaghetti and Spaghetti alla ragout are also amongst the highly recommended dishes here at Yala Traditions.

Open from 8:00 am in the morning till 10:00 pm, Yala Mandala is a must visit place for a holistic experience of art, culture, and food.

Yala Mandala

Contact: 01-5522395

Kwalkhu, Lalitpur

Text: Akriti Magar

Photos: Pratik Malakar