News & Press
By Julian Manning - Condé Nast Traveller
“Of course Cosy Nepal (a consortium of service apartments across Patan in tastefully restored Newar structures, let out to guests in partnership with local residents) is doing a fantastic job of helping people restore buildings and market them (as lodging) as well.”
Bar owners Abhishek Tuladhar and Adarsha Man Tamrakar break down their hometown’s boutique hotel, bar, and craft scene
By Julian Manning - Condé Nast Traveller
Camille Hanesse, Cofounder of Cosy Nepal
“I’d say timur ko chop”—a spice mixed built around the flavour of local, lemony, and tongue-numbing Sichuan pepper —“is always a great success as a gift if you’re giving it to someone who likes to cook; the timur is mixed with dried red chilli, garlic, and other spices. My favorite Timur Chop is produced by Sri Aurobindo Yoga Mandir. Lapsi is also a real Nepali treat. They are a bit like ‘pâte de fruit’ and are made from lapsi—a fruit from the hills of Nepal that resembles a small plum and is unique to the region. A great place to find them is a tiny shop in Patan Durbar Square, opposite the large bell (the ghanti). The shop has no name but an endless variety of lapsi candies, with salt, sugar, or titaura spices. It is a wonderful and unusual little thing to bring back for curious sweet lovers. Also, cheese from Himalayan French Cheese. François (the founder) produces excellent artisan cheeses made from nak (yak–cow hybrid), cow, and goat milk. From experience, they make a wonderful edible souvenir to bring home. Not all varieties travel easily, but several are vacuum-packed specifically so they can be transported without trouble, such as his Belkot, Tomme, and Mimolette. His cheeses can be found at the (Le Sherpa) Saturday Farmers’ Market, or at the Himalayan French Cheese shops in Baluwatar and Jhamsikhel. But probably the most tasty edible souvenir would be mustard oil. If you're into food, I really think it really makes a great difference…The place I like to go is 7km away from Patan, in Khokana”—a 300-year-old mustard mill by the name of Gabu Jaaysha Oil Mill.
“And then there’s shilajit from Dolpa, which people enjoy. I don’t like it personally, and think it tastes like petrol, but I’ve had friends who are into Ayurveda ask me to send it to them in India, Sri Lanka, and the USA. This can be purchased at The Farmer Shop, which has several outlets in Kathmandu. The best one comes from a brand called Kanjiroba, priced at around NPR 1,700 for 30 grams - it comes in a nice black and gold packaging.”
From 300-layer fruit-leather feuille to local fudge flecked with watermelon seeds, these gourmands let you in on the city’s tastiest treats.
