Eloise Dussably Jha is the operations manager for an international company making high-end carpets in Nepal. She loves movies and good books but most of all she enjoys spending time with family and friends

Phat Kath is one of these places that is just honest about what they are. It has no pretension to be the best French or Nepali restaurant, no pretension either to have the best cocktails or be the most amazing bar; it is simply a beautiful relaxed and cool place to go for a drink and decent meal. Everything seems to be perfectly balanced to offer a simply good moment to any customer whether coming alone or with a bunch of friends. It’s not a place only for tourists or only for Nepalis. It’s simply a place to feel easy and comfortable, a little bit of peace in the heart of the craziest neighbourhood in town.

You are welcomed at Phat Kath with a warm and kind smile that will stay on the face of the waiters throughout the service. They are efficient and friendly but not overly familiar and ‘buddy-buddy’. This behaviour completes perfectly the general environment and ambience. The all-in-wood-no-concrete décor makes the place cosy and even homely. Add to it the quality of the music, when you like good reggae and similar music of course, and it’s a complete win!

I didn’t really quite know what to expect from the food though. It sure has this French touch on the menu and the door board that I find appealing especially in the days I miss my home country, but it also has a Nepali ring to it that I always find a little risky as fusion is a delicate thing to master. The best way to figure out if Phat Kath was one of these amazing places that are indeed able to provide delicious fusion food was to try as many dishes as my stomach could handle. In that case it meant the Crock Madam, the Mushroom Burger, the Himalayan Galette, the Buff Momos, and the Nutella Crepe for dessert (I got a little help).

The first two were a little big of a disappointment… The Crock Madam is a truly easy dish to make but in this case it was not a success. The sauce in it and the bread were somehow sweet and there was just too much bread for something that usually should have so much. The Mushroom Burger just lacked a little bit of something to make it truly interesting. I don’t know if it were the mushrooms that were not strong or tasty enough or simply the fact that there was not enough of it to give the tang I was expecting to this burger. On the plus side, the fries that came along with it were delicious.

Now, for the Galette and the Momos, it’s another story. Even if the Galette was a little dry, it was really good and could balance the light spices one can expect in Nepali food with the traditional galette from Bretagne in the French North-west. The Buff Momos were also really yummy, again with just enough spices and the homemade sauces with it were perfect.

The dessert won me over. It is not difficult to make Nutella good for anyone who likes it, but the crepe itself was perfectly cooked and altogether delicious. I tried one of their mocktails called ‘KTM Rocks’ after seeing on the menu that it had a pinch of lavender, I was just too curious not to try. Turned out to be exactly what I was looking for — a sweet drink with a floral touch perfect for whoever enjoys soft drinks and are bored of ice tea and lemon soda.

After all that, anyone would feel like taking a bit of rest to digest and Phat Kath is again up to the part, relaxed, comfy and the smiling waiters who understand without you saying it that you just need a few minutes before the bill comes. And even the prices are fair — that’s just one more reason to come and come again!

RATINGS

PHAT KATH

Ambience: 9

Food quality/

Presentation: 6

Quality of service: 9

Hygiene: 8

Value for money: 8

Overall satisfaction

value: 8