Restaurant Review - Calling all health conscious curry lovers!
Women are constantly under more and more pressure these days to be fanatically health conscious. Yet how can one resist the satisfaction of that Friday night curry after a long and tiring week? Well you may no longer have to, as a new restaurant is providing the people of Bristol with Indian cuisine that avoids using oil or ghee, which are always added to the Indian cuisine that the British public and Curry loving lager louts have come to adore.
Situated centrally opposite the Colston Hall, Kathmandu is a family run restaurant thatopened in September 2003. After following twenty-three years of running two take-away outlets in Bristol, this business is producing some of the most experienced Indian and Nepalese cuisine around. The family personally import their spices from a village in their home country of Nepal to avoid using the unhealthy component of Indian clarified butter called ghee.
As I entered Kathmandu I immediately was impressed, for the style and class of the interior exceeded many of archetypal Indian’s that I have visited before. We were then shown to a small table close to the bar, to enjoy an aperitif whilst nibbling on Bombay crackers as we perused the menu with time. After much deliberation my partner and I decided to try a differing mixture of Indian and Nepalese dishes, so that a fair judgement could be made about the quality and diversity of the food. After all, originality is what this restaurant is all about.
Hot Poppadoms and the usual range of interesting dips were already waiting as we were shown to our table, followed swiftly by King prawn butterfly wings to start. There were deliciously spiced, deep-fried and complemented with a cucumber dip. Remembering our health conscious ethos though girls, feara not as the batter was extremely light and thinly coated around the succulent prawns. We were then politely asked if we were ready for our main dishes before the trolley arrived wafting with wonderful smells. Yet to taste the dishes was something else. My first and most memorable mouthful was the lobster special. This was like nothing I have ever tasted before, as the meaty pieces of fish complemented the mild and Nepalese spices to perfection. The other dishes filling the table consisted of Prawn Biryani, Pilau rice, Vegetable Paratta and the obligatory Nan bread, needed to mop up all of those sauces down to the last and final dip. Descending upon the option of desserts however, I was convinced that my appetite had been more than satisfied, yet as soon as I caught sight of the traditional Kulfi, or oriental ice cream with almond and pistachio nuts I decided that maybe I did have just a little more room. Yet although the dessert tasted just as good as it looked I could not fully finish, as the plentiful portions of our mains had already beaten me there. Every mouthful of our entire meal was just good and if not better than the next, for the food and attentive service that we received held a consistent quality from the moment we entered the restaurant until the moment we left. Kathmandu also offers a wide range of excellent and international wines, that can all be recommended to suit and complement your meal accordingly.
Kathmandu is an experience not to be missed, whether you love, have never tried or just don't fancy Indian Cuisine, you can be sure to find a completely different Nepalese dish ranging from mild and creamy through to spicy and hot that will suit your individual taste down to a tee. So come and try the best and most authentic Indian/Nepalese restaurant in Bristol! I can assure you that your colleagues, partners and friends won't be disappointed.