Kathmandu:

That she is a self-anointed foodie is no secret. And Manisha Koirala, who is on a sabbatical, took time out to inaugurate the Grand Dosa Festival at the Hyatt Regency Kathmandu on August 18.

Commenting on the food she said, “It’s quite unique. When I was informed about the festival, it sounded exotic, and it really is delicious.”

No wonder that the actress was reportedly seen around with a restaurateur in Bollywood. However, refuting all such rumours, she denies any possibility of a marriage, stressing it with a stern “no”.

Her immediate plans after going back to Bollywood just remains to resume her dancing classes and get back to regular gym. “I might as well just travel to Europe,” she informed by the way. “I always take a break of at least three months, and I’m not planning to resume work until October.”

About her unexpected visit, she only said, “to meet my family and celebrate my birthday”. Indeed, what better way to celebrate one’s birthday than in one’s own hearth? Besides having a good time with her family, Koirala has plans to binge on something more than just dosas. “When I come to Nepal, the first thing that I do is order momos. And I love home-cooked food that my mother is excellent at.”

Apart from momos and home-cooked food, she also has an obsession for gundruk and chhoila. But her passion for foods knows no limits as she herself confessed that she has a stack of recipe books and tries her own hand at it occasionally.

And those of you, who think that her days in Bollywood are over, she still has quite a handful in her kitty with Darwaza Band Rakho, Tulsi and Anwar in the pipeline. “Apart from that, I’m also working on two yet untitled projects.”

Grand dosas:

If you think dosas were just for vegetarians, then the Grand Dosa Festival at Hyatt Regency will give you something else to think about and chew on. Apart from the vegetarian fare (paneer, masala, paper and egg dosa), they have laid out an array of non-vegetarian dosas to choose from — duck mappas, Chittinadu chicken, mutton keema varuval, Mhopla prawn and egg-chicken keema. You will be served with garlic rasam (which is yummm) as appetiser.

To add to the South Indian ambience, the dosas will be served on banana leaf with sambar, avial, porrial, curd rice, two kinds of chutney and semya paysam. The 10-day Grand Dosa festival is on at The Café. — HNS