Tibetan Kitchen

During my uni years, the Tibetan Kitchen in the Valley was one of our tried and trusted dinner spots. It was BYO, the food was tasty and it was cheap - it ticked all the important boxes. There were countless nights when we'd occupy a room there from about 7pm until very late, popping out every few hours when the wine had run out for resupplies. Now that I think about it, the restaurant was probably lucky it didn't have too many tables of diners like us.

Anyway I hadn't eaten at the Tibetan Kitchen for years and there's now one at Petrie Terrace as well. We headed in to the Petrie Terrace restaurant a Saturday night for dinner.

The Tibetan Kitchen on Petrie Terrace is in a building that used to be occupied by Romeo's, one of Brisbane's iconic Italian Restaurants. Although a few Tibetan decorations have been added to the room, there's still an Italian feel to it. The food however is well and truly not Italian. Here you'll find Tibetan, sherpa and Nepalese food - with about 60 items on the menu, there's plenty to choose from.

The large menu also means it takes a while to work out what to eat. The entree section of the menu had a few standout dishes - namche ko momo (steamed Tibetan style dumpling with coriander, ginger & garlic served with homemade chutney - $6.90), sekuwa (chicken or lamb marinated in yoghurt, fresh ginger and garlic curry sauce, served with salad - $7.90) and aloo chop (potato patties with Nepalese herbs & spices, covered in chickpea batter and served with homemade chutney - $6.90). There are also a few soups on the menu, including the tempting dhaal soup of lentil, tomato, ginger, garlic, onion and vegetables with fresh coriander ($6.90).

In the end I settled on a serve of tipan tapan, partly because of the catchy name. The menu told me that tipan tapan was a traditional Nepalese snack, prepared with fried chicken or beef, potato curry, crispy rice and a spicy sauce. This turned out to be a substantial snack - there was a good amount of both the chicken and potato curry, which had been scattered with crispy rice (the crispy rice looked very similar to rice bubbles). It was tasty enough, but the real winner on the plate was the spicy sauce, which had a good, hot chilli kick to it.

We also had a serve of the aloo chop (4 pieces), which had obviously been freshly made. The potato filling had a lovely flavour to it - we could pick out fresh ginger and chilli. The round patties had been well cooked, and were matched with a spicy, peppery sauce. Again, this was a very filling starter.

There's a very wide selection when it comes to main course - chicken, lamb, beef, goat, prawns and fish all feature on the menu. The Tibetan Kitchen is also a good spot for vegetarians, with 15 non-meat options. The more interesting main courses were the shakpa (stew of lamb, potatoes, vegetables, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and dumplings cooked with fresh coriander and curry sauce - $15.90), bakra ko tihun (goat curry on the bone with pumpkin & squash) and the jhinge macha ra aduwa (prawns cooked in a lime, ginger & coconut milk curry, topped with fresh coriander - $17.90).

I ordered the khasi ko masu, described as traditional Himalayan vindaloo - pieces of lamb cooked in a Nepalese curry sauce, topped with coriander ($15.90). Expecting that this could be a pretty fiery dish, I ordered it medium. There was plenty of lamb in the curry when it arrived, and the sauce had a good chilli zing to it. I also enjoyed the fresh coriander sprinkled over the curry, but if you order this dish, you really need something else to accompany it - it was all meat and nothing else.

Luckily for me, my wife ordered the somar (tofu curry). This was a Nepalese style curry with sour cream, coconut milk, capsicum, garlic, ginger, fresh coriander and green chilli ($13.90). The somar was made with pieces of silken tofu, and it was an excellent dish. It was a beautifully fragrant curry, with lovely delicate flavours that really complemented the tofu. I quickly got a bit bored with the plate of meat before me and shifted my attention to the delicious plate of tofu.

Unfortunately the place was fairly dead the night we were there. Although we arrived at about 7pm, there was only one other table of guests in the restaurant. Only two more tables of diners came in during the night, so it would have been a very slow night for the restaurant. It's also a fairly big room, so it felt a bit deserted.

Tibetan Kitchen is both BYO (wine only) and licenced. Staff were very friendly throughout the meal, although I found it a bit odd that one of the chefs came to the table at the start of the night to take our order.

All up, the Tibetan Kitchen is a good spot for a big group dinner, where you'd get the opportunity to order a wide selection from the large menu. It's solid, reliable food, rather than anything spectacular, although both the vegetarian meals were ordered were excellent.

What does all this mean? A huge range of tasty Nepalese and Tibetan food at good prices - BYO drinks and a big table of friends to get the most from the menu.

food bling ratings
Food - Good
Service - Good
Ambience - Tibetan & Nepalese clash with the Tuscan feel
Value for Money - Great
Wine - Small selection or BYO
Vegetarian - Great

Tibetan Kitchen
216 Petrie Terrace
Brisbane 4000
P - 07 3367 0955
W - http://www.tibetankitchen.com.au/

Kathmandu Kitchen

We have been holidaying at Kingscliff for a few years now, but have never eaten at Kathmandu Kitchen until a couple of weeks ago.

Kathmandu Kitchen is at the Northern end of the strip of shops on Marine Parade at Kingscliff. There are tables inside and out. It was a lovely summer evening on our visit, so we made the most of it and sat outside.

The menu is pretty compact and there are 4 entrees to choose from. We ordered a serve each of the Nepalese samosas ($7.20) and the sekuwa ($9.20). The other entrees are Tibetan spring rolls ($5.90 for 2) and momo - steamed Tibetan spiced beef mince dumplings with fresh tomato and coriander sauce ($8.50).

The sekuwa, a Newari special, was a great start to the night. The menu lists these as char grilled tender pieces of lamb, marinated in yoghurt, ginger, garlic and coriander. The lamb was tangy and rich, matched perfectly with some raita and a small salad. It was so good, I had to clean up the whole plate. It's always good to stumble across something as tasty as this to kick off a good meal.

The samosas were tasty and served with a sweet chilli sauce, which did actually have a bit of a kick to it. Although the samosas tasted good, they would have been even better if the pasty was a bit crunchier. Nevertheless, so far so good.

There are some tantalising options for mains here, including the duck curry (duck breast in star anise & lime with vegetables - $23.90), jhinga machha ra masala (fresh green prawns, lightly sauteed in a spicy coconut cream sauce - $22.90) and goruko masu (Kathmandu spiced beef - $17.50).

The menu also has a vegetarian section, covering mismasko tarkari (lightly wok fried vegetables, spiced and served with cashew nuts and a creamy curry sauce - $14.90), dhal ($10.90) and stir fried organic tofu and vegetables with ginger, garlic and herbs in a sweet chilli or soy sauce ($15.50).

If you are feeling particularly hungry, or really want to get the full Nepalese/Tibetan experience, you can order one of the three naan breads ($3 to $4.70), cucumber & yoghurt raita ($4.50), mango chutney ($3.60) or sambal ($2.20) to accompany your meal.

I had the kukhurako masu (chicken curry - $17.50) which was described on the menu as boneless chicken cooked in the traditional Tibetan style. This was a rich curry, with tender chicken pieces. Although I'd ordered it with medium heat, it was pretty mild on that front. It was a good dish, and I couldn't stop soaking up the sauce with rice - it was so tasty.

However good the chicken curry was, the saag ra chij ($15.90) was in a different league altogether. This was wok fried spinach with feta cheese, spiced with garlic and nutmeg in a creamy curry sauce. Its presentation was amazing - a bright green colour that can only come from fresh spinach. The sauce was perfect - fragrant, fresh and light, with hints of nutmeg and chilli. The best part of the dish though was that the sauce complemented, rather than overpowered, the spinach. Needless to say, this all disappeared off the plate. It was one of the best spinach based dishes I've tasted anywhere.

Kathmandu Kitchen is byo, and there is a bottle shop about 20 metres down Marine Parade at the pub, so you don't have to walk far in search of a few beers or a bottle of wine.

Service was friendly and attentive throughout the night. All up, we had a great meal, with the sakuwa and the saag ra chij as the standouts. As with all the good Kingscliff restaurants on Marine Parade though, it's a very good idea to book on a Friday or Saturday night, or you might have to settle for take away.

What does all this mean? Delicious, tasty Nepalese and Tibetan food with relaxed, friendly service.

food bling ratings
Food - Great
Service - Great
Ambience - Relaxed and casual - inside or out
Value for Money - Good
Wine - BYO
Vegetarian - Good

Kathmandu Kitchen
2/106 Marine Parade
Kingscliff NSW 2487
P - 02 6674 5746
W - http://www.kathmandukingscliff.com.au/

Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n

I've already done one post about Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n at Paddington.

We had a great dinner there, and headed back with a group of 7. On our second trip, the food was equally as good. The sherpa chicken main course was particularly tasty. But the service was terrible. We waited almost half an hour just to get some wine glasses, after asking 3 times. Things didn't really improve on the service front.

So be warned, although the food at Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n is great, and it's ridiculously cheap, you might spend a while here on a Friday or Saturday night if you're in a group. If you've got plenty of wine and you're not in a hurry, then its happy days I suppose.

Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n
72 Latrobe Terrace
Paddington 4064
P - 07 3369 7272
E - katnc@optusnet.com.au

Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n

Ever found yourself sitting at home, wanting to go out for dinner to somewhere new, to eat something different? That's exactly where we found ourselves before heading out to dinner at Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n at Paddington.

I knew there was a Nepalese restaurant in the building (which used to house Casa Mia) but hadn't managed to get there for dinner. We were met with a friendly face at the door and quickly shown to our table, which was in a pretty busy walkway for the restaurant. But we weren't there for anything special, nor were we expecting silver service, so it was fine.

Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n is obviously popular with groups, and has a number of private rooms that you can book. One in particular was right next to our table, with a low floor and cushions to sit on. The group in that room were having a great night.

It's BYO, with a $2 per person corkage charge, which probably explains the attraction for big groups. Within a couple of minutes of sitting down, out came a bottle of cold water, glasses were poured, and an ice-bucket for our bottle of white. So far, so good.

Anyway, we had come here to eat something different. So what food do they serve? The short answer is Nepalese & Himalayan.

We started off with a choila poleko ($7) - "grilled beef marinated with garlic, ginger & spices turned in mustard oil, served on a bed of lettuce, shallots & Spanish onion, with lemon dressing." I wasn't sure from the description if I should be expecting a salad or some kind of Nepalese san choy bau. It came out on a long plate, and was basically served as a salad with plenty of chunks of grilled beef. It is one of the tastiest salads I have eaten for a long, long time. I will definitely be back for another one. The meat had obviously been marinated, there was a good, but not overwhelming chilli kick and the dressing had a fantastic citrus tang. It was the perfect salad for a Brisbane summer night, washed down with a glass of white wine.

We also had a serve of the vegetable pakoras ($7). The pakoras were tasty, but not in the same league as the choila poleko. They also could have been cooked a tad longer for more crunchiness. Maybe I was just being overly harsh on them because my salad was so good.

Other starters include samosas, spring rolls (vegetable or meat), momas (steamed dumplings) and dhal soup. All the starters are $7. At that price, you might as well order a few.

Once we had finished our starters, the wait staff were very keen to bring out our mains. We were even asked before finishing our starters if we wanted the mains to be cooked "now". They eventually got the hint that we weren't in a hurry, but the mains came out without much delay.

I went for the phari masu - diced goat cooked with pumpkin, garlic, ginger, cumin and fenugreek seed ($14). After my tangy, clean entree, this was at the other end of the food spectrum - rich goat meat served in a thick sauce with pumpkin and spices. Again, it was very tasty. I don't often get the chance to eat goat in Brisbane, so its always worth a try when it does pop up on the menu. I think if you do order this dish, make sure you also order something a bit lighter, like some vegetables. The richness of the dish makes it a struggle to eat it all yourself.

We also tried the aloo kofta - mashed potato & vegetable balls cooked with vegetables & coriander seeds, served with a tomato sauce. This dish was a hit, and the perfect accompaniment to my goat. Although the koftas were fairly filling, the dish itself was very fragrant and had a real clean texture to it. It was delicious.

There are plenty of mains to choose from. Vegetarians are well catered for, with kauli mattar (cauliflower, potatoes & peas), channa ko tarkari (chickpeas & potatoes) and rajma ko tarkari (kidney beans, potatoes & mushrooms) some of the dishes on offer (all $11).

The menu also covers a good range of fish (like the jhol machaa tareko - simmered in tomato sauce with mustard seeds - $17), chicken (sherpa chicken - cooked in a creamy sauce with coriander, lime leaf and lemon - $14), lamb and beef (goru ko masu - slowly cooked in cardamom, cumin, coriander & cinnamon with tomato gravy - $14).

You also have the option of banquets or platters (which appear to be terrific value) if you want to get a good cross section of the menu. Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n does a small range of desserts if you still have room for more at the end of the meal.

The restaurant is sparsely decorated with traditional ornaments, which gives it a bit of a rustic feel. However, given its popularity with groups, Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n is not the place you would be heading for a romantic night out. On the other hand, its perfect for a group of friends, or a tasty dinner when you are looking for something other than your local Thai, Chinese or Indian.

Finally, you've probably noticed already, but the prices are fantastic. Not only are the prices great, but the servings are more than generous. Our dinner for two was $43 including corkage, and we didn't finish our starters or mains.

I will definitely be going back, next time with a group of friends into one of the private rooms. With food like this, and its BYO appeal, Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n is the perfect place for a great night out.

What does all this mean? Very tasty Nepalese & Himalayan food at rock-bottom prices.

food bling ratings
Food - Great
Service - Good
Ambience - some traditional Nepalese ornaments
Value for Money - Top shelf
Wine - BYO
Vegetarian - Great
Gluten Free - Good

Kathmandu Newa Chhe'n
72 Latrobe Terrace
Paddington 4064
P - 07 3369 7272
E - katnc@optusnet.com.au