{"id":1975,"date":"2015-04-05T18:06:16","date_gmt":"2015-04-05T18:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2025-05-02T18:14:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T18:14:12","slug":"eating-nepal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/eating-nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"Eating Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Flavours of Nepal: More Than Just Dal Bhat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nepal may not be world-renowned for its \u00e2\u20ac\u0153haute cuisine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d but that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean it can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t surprise your taste buds.
Especially in Kathmandu, finding a good meal is easy. The city\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s packed with both local joints and foreign restaurants. I stumbled upon authentic-tasting Mexican food<\/strong> down a random alley, spent days feasting in a psychedelic vegetarian Israeli caf\u00c3\u00a9<\/strong>, and devoured Asia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s best chocolate cake<\/strong> in a humble roadside bakery. And I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even have to try that hard to find these places.<\/p>\n

Pokhara<\/strong> isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t far behind either. It has more than enough great restaurants to help you gain back the weight you lost on a trek.<\/p>\n

\"Kathmandu<\/a>
pancakes for breakfast in Kathmandu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But once you leave the cities?
The quest for a tasty meal becomes quite a bit tougher. <\/strong>That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where your food adventure starts to look a little… repetitive.<\/p>\n

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a quick overview of what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s on the menu when you’re off the beaten path:<\/p>\n

Momo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/b><\/h4>\n

Your safest bet for a quick, satisfying meal.
Momo are succulent dumplings \u00e2\u20ac\u201d usually filled with spiced meat \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and wrapped in a doughy blanket. While steamed momos are the standard, the occasional fried version pops up too. Think dim sum<\/em>, but with a Nepali twist and way more herbs.<\/p>\n

Despite their plain appearance, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re often incredibly juicy and fragrant<\/strong>. And the best place to eat them? Street food stalls<\/strong>.
They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re made right in front of you \u00e2\u20ac\u201d as fresh as it gets.<\/p>\n

Every now and then you might even come across alternative fillings<\/em>…
Snickers momos, anyone?<\/p>\n

\"momo's\"<\/a>
fresh street momo’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fried<\/a>
deep fried snicker momo’s, not a winner combination<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

King Curd<\/b><\/h4>\n

Locally known as Juju Dhau<\/strong>, or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153King of Curds,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d this Bhaktapur specialty is a hidden gem.
Made with naturally sweet buffalo milk, it’s subtly infused with spices like cardamom<\/strong>, clove<\/strong>, coconut<\/strong>, or ginger<\/strong>, depending on who makes it.<\/p>\n

The spices don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t overpower \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in fact, you might barely notice them \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but they completely elevate the flavour<\/strong>. It’s stored in clay pots in naturally cool places, and there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no added sugar, making it an excellent snack or breakfast.<\/p>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find Juju Dhau all over Bhaktapur. Just look for a cardboard sign with a picture of a clay pot, or ask for it at any restaurant.
Pro tip: ask around to make sure you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting the real deal \u00e2\u20ac\u201d not the powdered-milk version.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"King<\/a>
incredible breakfast curd on a Bhaktapur rooftop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dal Bhat<\/b><\/h4>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll see dal bhat<\/strong> on every single menu in Nepal, no matter where you are.
I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve given it several chances, but it just never won me over. I found it bland and unappetising \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but hey, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a lentil fan, and lentils are the main ingredient here.<\/p>\n

That said, Nepalis love it<\/strong>, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve met many a vegetarian and vegan who swear by it.
So who knows? You might love it too.<\/p>\n

\"dal<\/a>
dal bhat, looking tastier than it is<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trekking Food<\/b><\/h4>\n

Unless you bring your own supplies, be prepared to embrace a steady diet of ramen noodles and eggs<\/strong> while trekking. That, and maybe some fried rice, soup, or a slightly overpriced dal bhat.<\/p>\n

Anything with fresh ingredients or rice tends to be expensive in the mountains \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it all has to be carried into the villages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Still, I developed a soft spot for Shakpa soup<\/strong>, a comforting Newari dish perfect for those icy mountain evenings.<\/p>\n

And honestly? I grew to love trekking food<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d not for the taste, but for the views<\/strong> that came with it.
Nothing makes ramen taste better than watching the sun rise over the Himalayas.<\/p>\n

\"trekking<\/a>
simple food with a view<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"buff<\/a>
spicy buffalo meat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Masala Lassi<\/b><\/p>\n

Much like in India, lassi<\/strong> in Nepal is a natural watered down yoghurt drink \u00e2\u20ac\u201d light, slightly sour, and super refreshing. The masala version, though? Next level.
\nMasala is a mix of spices, in this case it’s often black pepper. Black pepper<\/strong> in yoghurt might sound odd, but trust me: it works.
You can also sweeten it with fruit or honey, but that peppery kick? A-must try.<\/p>\n

\"Lassi<\/a>
lassi any time of the day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yak Cheese<\/b><\/p>\n

Who would\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve thought Nepal was home to some seriously good cheese<\/strong>? Certainly not us spoiled European cheese snobs.<\/p>\n

But yak cheese<\/strong> blew me away \u00e2\u20ac\u201d firm, full of character, and strangely resistant to melting, making it perfect for hikes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Another definite must-try.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n

Sure, Nepal might not top the list for foodies.
But what it lacks in culinary prestige, it more than makes up for with mind-blowing nature<\/strong>, warm-hearted people<\/strong>, rich culture<\/strong>, incredible art<\/strong>, and jaw-dropping landscapes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So no, you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t come to Nepal for<\/em> the food.
But you’ll find plenty to enjoy \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and plenty of surprises along the way.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Have you eaten in Nepal? What did you think?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The post “Eating Nepal<\/a>” first appeared on Travel Cake<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Flavours of Nepal: More Than Just Dal Bhat Nepal may not be world-renowned for its \u00e2\u20ac\u0153haute cuisine,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d but that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean it can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t surprise your taste buds.Especially in Kathmandu, finding a good meal is easy. The city\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s packed with both local joints and foreign restaurants. I stumbled upon authentic-tasting Mexican food down a random […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2582,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22,127],"tags":[5,7,4,35],"country":[247],"class_list":["post-1975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-category","category-nepal","tag-asia","tag-asian-food","tag-food","tag-nepal","post_format-post-format-image","country-nepal"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phrKJj-vR","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelcake.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/FEAT.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&quality=89&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1975"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4863,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1975\/revisions\/4863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1975"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=1975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}