Kathmandu:

There are three discoveries at The Red Onion Bar — manager Raj Kumar DC (“As in Direct Current,” says the BSc graduate), the Virgin Mary that is not chaste and packs a wallop equal to its bloodier version, and the food which is Indian and is conjured by Pradeep Gurung, who worked in the Malla Hotel for 14 years perfecting his skills, which are now on delicious display.

“We have 350 drinks and 30 single malts. It is a cellar we have been building for four years. And we have a wide selection of Indian food (it used to be Chinese) which I suggest you allow Deepak to choose for you to sample.”

Which is when the Fish Tikka arrived.

Minty Pande, head of Plan International, declared the Tikkas as being “Mmmmmmmh”. Crisp outside with a marination to murder for, the Tikka follows the classic rules of cooking Tandooris as laid down by India’s most famous foodie Jiggs Kalra who says, “The success of kebab depends entirely on marination and the time given to it. For Tandoori Kebab, basting acquires special significance. It is the application of butter or oil which seals in the juices and makes kebab succulent.”

“I used to teach science to Classes VIII, IX and X before I joined the bar. Today I teach the mixing of drinks to people interested in beverages,” said DC.

The Wild Boar Jhalfarajie especially created for us was served and brought back memories of British India, Anglo Indians, and my friend Brian Whyte, who cooks a Jhalfarajie that would have Anglo Indians returning from abroad to sample. Gurung’s interpretation was as classic as Brian’s.

The Jhalfarajie is the old British way of serving leftover meat by cooking it with onions, spices and a few green chillies. That’s it. It was generally served at tiffin time of which De Quincey writes in 1832, “Everyone has an East Indian Uncle. Call upon him at any hour from two till five, he insists on your taking tiffin; and such a tiffin! The English corresponding term is luncheon, but how meagre a shadow is the European meal to its glowing Asiatic cousin.”

“On Fridays and Wednesdays we have live music. It goes on to 11 at night. I am into music. Three of us cut a CD called Chuk Chuk Relaile. One of the three was a lady from America who is studying to become a foreign service officer. You can read about it on ‘www.nepali-site.com/tridrujya’,” said the surprising DC as we tucked into the Prawn Massala.

In the old days this kind of dish with a thick dry gravy was known as a dry curry. “I use zeera, dhaniya and garam masala,” said Gurung and it was my turn to go “Mmmmmmmh”. Minty declared perfection by saying she would eat quantities of it despite the hot spices.

We were eating as a special case in the bright bar itself, a screen had groups performing, the bar itself like the menu was a work of pop art. There is a cute garden restaurant upstairs which should be ideal by the time you read this. Order the Korma, thick with ground cashewnuts and true to its Mughal antecedents and talk to Raj Kumar who also runs an NGO and is studying for his MBS. He is as full of surprises as the bar.

As we left Louis Armstrong was singing What A Wonderful World. It summed up our evening. Call 4416071.