Author: Akriti Shilpakar

The name of the restaurant is what attracted me first.  With no name and no expectations I just had to try out this place. Despite opening its doors just a few months ago, the popularity No Name has earned in this short time is remarkable. Located at Putalisadak, right across the Share Market building, No Name boasts the classic winning café combination of the right feel, good food and reasonable price.

Unlike many of the restaurants in Putalisadak, this is not just another fast food chain located within the boring four walls of one of the busiest streets in town. No Name is an absolute delight. The exterior may not scream amazing but, hey, never judge a book by its cover. No Name has a surprisingly beautiful garden out at the back with the mini swings, slides, see-saw and rocking horse, creating a child’s oasis.

The other section of the restaurant is the terrace seating, which is the only side that is visible from the street. Spacious and comfortable with huge umbrellas to save you from the sun, the terrace is the perfect place to relax on a lazy summer day. On recommendation, we had No Name’s specials; Mukka aalu (small punched unpeeled potatoes and chili sauce), BBQ pork chops with garlic sauce and chicken wings momo.

First came the Mukka aalu. Although the sauce made the dish similar to chips chilly,   the unpeeled potato skins made the difference. The BBQ pork, smelling and looking   gorgeous was enough to make our mouths water.   The tender pork is served with rich ginger sauce with barbequed potato, asparagus and tomatoes on the side. The meat was not pink enough on the inside for me, but that did not affect the taste. This dish was a beautiful culinary experience.  The perfect blend of the sauce and the pork is enough to cuddle one’s taste buds. I could not get enough of it.  The momo stuffed chicken wings, on the other hand, was a little odd. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other dishes, but that may be because I was already full. More enjoyment was derived from the Chinese style box it was served in.

All in all, the food was lovely and very affordable; All three dishes and a drink for Rs.745.  No Name also entertains guests with a bar and the lounge has delightful ambience which makes it the perfect place to meet your friends at the end of the day. The feel of the bar and the adjacent rooms is excellent for small parties and celebrations. Reservations are also available. No Name, has certainly earned a name in my books, check it out this summer and create a name for yourself.

Located at Pokhara’s central lake side with spacious indoor and outdoor seating, Lemon Tree has the perfect ambience anyone could ask for after a long day’s sight-seeing in the beautiful lake city. It is warm and has every aspect of a complete Nepali house; made out of bamboo, hay roofs, and hanging pot plants outside. The homely, warm welcome topped off with kitsch tables decorated with red and white linen, candle light and a little vase, is matched by the equally tempting mouthwatering delicacies at this eatery.

When arriving I could have instantly devoured the sumptuous food but, as it is always exciting to know a little behind the scenes story, I sat down with Gautam Manandhar, the owner of Lemon Tree, to find out where it all began. Gautam has been in the restaurant business since he was 18 years old. Lemon Tree is one of his much successful grandeur, including ‘Jomali’ in Thamel and ‘Don’t Cross Me By’ also in Pokhara. But Lemon Tree is undeniably one of his biggest and most successful ventures.

While we sat in one of the cozy corners of the indoor restaurant and walked down memory lane with Gautam, one of his recommended dishes of the restaurant was being readied in the kitchen by the head chef, Keshab. Keshab has been the head of the kitchen for 10 years. I understood why he had lasted so long as I sampled the first dish – the fantastic, fresh fish from the lake with garlic sauce. His recipes were the heart of the restaurant. It was amazing. The aroma and presentation was enough to make my mouth water. The meat was tender and juicy with the subtle garlic sauce to compliment it. I was already full when I had gobbled up the heavenly dish, but lunch was not yet over.

The best part was left for the last. It was their very special Lassi. And trust me it was indeed very ‘special’ because I have never had one like that before and believe me when I say I have had them all; if lassi is on the menu of any restaurant, I will order it, so you should get the idea. The lassi was smooth and cool. If only I could, I would go there everyday to have the glass of heavenly goodness. And like I said before it was the best part of the lunch, especially in the scorching heat. All that in an affordable price of xxxx Rs.  What was even more appealing about the restaurant was that one did not have to wait long for their food to be served. I only had to wait for 15 minutes before my dish was on the table, steaming hot.

By the end of the whole experience, I was not only full, but satisfied too. Gautam wanted me to have more of Lemon Tree’s finest and I wanted to try them all too but I just did not have a single inch in my belly to spare for another dish. The service was great too. To sum it all, I found Lemon Tree a perfect blend of superlative food and absolutely delightful ambience.