Dubby Bhagat

Kathmandu:

They were lighting diyas, traditional Nepali mud lamps as we walked into The Northfield Café in Thamel. It’s the kind of place where the décor is what you make it, that plus the crush of other diners give Northfield an atmosphere of a nonstop party. “We can’t make our food truly Mexican because it would be too hot for our guests,” said Barga Bista, the owner of Northfield. “I go to America once a year to find what’s new and then my wife and I add to the menu.” Barga’s wife is Dana Chen from California and she is using local ingredients to make the best Tex Mex food in town. “I am trying to make Jalapeno chillies with local chillies and a recipe given to me by a visiting American Chef,” said Dana who is an animated bundle of energy.

A starter called Classic Nachos arrived and Dana said, “We make the nachos here.” The dish is a sort of salad with corn chips, beans, cheese and salsa with onions and tomatoes with a touch of herbs like cilantro. “I talk to all my guests,” said Barga, “And I ask for suggestions. That’s how I met Dana who came to Nepal with the Peace Corps…”

Sagar Lama who helped us understand the food explained the special taste of the chicken and steak that came with the Fajitas a kind of roti or tortilla that is served with beans, rice, salsa and fresh cream. “You eat it Nepali style with your hands,” said Sagar. “The meat is cooked over an open flame like in a barbecue.” So you get a smoky taste with the gentle sharpness of the salsa and the magically heightening effect of the cream. Barga came over from a table of friends to say, “People who don’t know me say that my dad gave me a golden egg and I say no, I hatched it. I used to work three jobs a day.” The Earl Of Sandwich would rethink his creation if he tried the Quesadilla Suiza which is two flour tortillas that nestle a mixture of cheese, home made pork sausage or corizo, mushrooms and mixed vegetables. The flavours melt into a fantasy that tingles your palate. The Chilli Soup comes with a large Burrito and the afterburn of the chilli which you savour until it gets too hot is gentled by the Burrito.It is Barga and Dana’s version of the classic Chilli Con Carne and it is unusual as the Barga-Dana combination .

One of the most unusual and exotic offerings around is called Golden Chicken and here how it is described, “Chicken breast breaded and lightly fried. Topped with gravy, melted cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms. Served with steamed vegetables and mashed potato.” “We don’t have fish on our menu. We want safety and hygiene,” said Barga. You don’t miss seafood at Northfield as there is so much to choose from like the Enchilada which is a sort of Mexican Lasagne with two tortillas baked in a rich sauce with cheese. My friend Tapan whose goal and work in life is to promote understanding between countries, summed up the Northfield experience with, “A Taiwanese girl from California marries a Nepali boy in Kathmandu and they have a fine Tex Mex Restaurant and a three-year-old son called Yuga Darshan which means, New Era. An apt metaphor.”

For more about the wonders of Northfield café call Nirajan Shrestha at 4700884, 4700530.