POKHARA: Nepali food in Thakali kitchens have gained popularity in Pokhara. The number of Thakali restaurants offering typical Nepali food including rice, vegetable and lentils is also increasing in this tourist city. In fact, Thakali foods are gaining the status of a brand.

Pickle of timur and porridge of oats are other attractions in Thakali restaurants which are also popular because of cleanliness, homely environment, friendly behaviour of owners and waiters and their professionalism.

After people started giving Thakali food first priority for lunch and dinner, more new Thakali restaurants are coming up in Pokhara. The latest in this trend is a new Thakali Bhanchha opened at New Road by a group of youths with an investment of over Rs 6 million. The newly-opened restaurant has the traditional look of a Mustangi house.

It is equipped with a conference hall. Myagdi’s Anil Hirachan, who is in the hotel business for 20 years, Binod Thakali of Kathmandu, Anil Tulachan, Raju Tamrakar and Akash Bajracharya have invested in this restaurant. Kamal Tamrakar, who has worked in the UK for over a decade, has also come to Pokhara to work in this restaurant. The investors said they began the enterprise as many people had been looking for Thakali food, hygienic atmosphere, quality and taste.

Thakali foods began gaining popularity in other parts of the country after Thakalis, who earlier used to live in the Himalayan districts, started temporarily and permanently migrating to lower altitudes to avoid the chill in the winter season. From middle income to high-end spenders, tourists to students, all visit Thakali restaurants for the food whenever they visit Pokhara.

Jay Aryal of Pokhara said cleanliness and the managment’s courteous behaviour drew him to Thakali food houses. Subas Nyupane of Kathmandu said his Pokhara visit remains incomplete if he cannot manage to visit Thakali restaurants.