Pokhara winters are mild by Himalayan standards but the evenings get cold, and Chinese cooking has a whole vocabulary for exactly that.
Hot pot, first and obviously
A pot of broth simmering on your table for two hours is the most direct answer to a cold night there is. Chicken Hotpot is Rs. 1,060 small or Rs. 1,400 big; Chilly Sauce Hotpot at Rs. 999 brings real Sichuan heat; Beer Duck Hotpot at Rs. 2,250 is the richest of the four and best for a group.
You then build the table from 27 add-ins — sliced meats from Rs. 620, tofu at Rs. 210, mushrooms, cabbage, lotus root and kelp mostly at Rs. 315, finishing with noodles at Rs. 260 or dumplings at Rs. 399 cooked in the broth once it has absorbed everything else.
Braises
Braised dishes cook slowly in liquid until the meat gives and the sauce reduces around it. Braised Chicken with Potato at Rs. 940, Braised Buff with Potato at Rs. 870, Braised Pork Ribs with Potato at Rs. 799. All three are the kind of food you want in front of you when it is dark outside.
Braised Duck with Green Chilly at Rs. 1,120 is the richer choice.
Soups that are actually hot
Not a starter — an accompaniment, shared through the meal. Hot and Sour Chicken Soup is Rs. 515 for a big bowl, Rs. 315 small. Pork Mushroom Soup is Rs. 530 big. Both keep going on the table.
Noodles in broth
Beef Noodle Soup, Pork Rib Noodle Soup and Noodle Soup with Vegetable, Egg or Chicken are each Rs. 315. A single bowl is a whole meal, and the hand-pulled noodles hold their chew in the liquid rather than going soft.
Warming without the chilli
Heat and spice are not the same thing. Ginger does the work in Shredded Ginger Duck at Rs. 1,140, and Steam Chaising Ginger at Rs. 1,080 is warming without being hot. Both suit anyone who wants comfort without chilli.
We are open every day through the winter, 10am to 10pm. Booking is worth it at weekends.
