While coming from New Road to Basantapur Durbar Square, you can see a lane full of shutters and eateries. Among them, outside one particular shutter, you can see people waiting their turns to taste Newari delicacies. Lunch N’ Munch since June last year has been a loved place to be for many youngsters who crave for authentic yet contemporized Nepali food items.
The shutter can only accommodate five to six people at a time but people can be seen crowding outside the shutter in the walkway. The menu is limited but comes with a taste that’s finger-licking good and healthy, without preservatives and also does not hurt your
wallet.
The taste of fine chocolate
Bara
A set of this comes with two deep-fried, crispy bara with chutney on the sides. Bara is a dollop of freshly grinded black lentils mixed with garlic, salt and other spices including green chilies and coriander. Baras here are crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. They can be a perfect appetizer or a light snack. The tomato chutney is freshly made and has all the right spices to complement the dish.
Buff Chatamari
Chatamari has, on several occasions, called the Newari pizza. But unlike its mushy base, Chatamari here has a crispy base. It is decorated with vegetables, meat and chutney that look appealing and are a mouthful. Rather than fine-minced pieces, the meat in the dish here are large enough that with every bite you can actually chew on the meat. The dish reinvents the traditional Newari cuisine and has been one of the popular dishes here. If one doesnot like the crispiness then they can choose to go with the soft one too.
Sandheko Mo:Mo
Sandheko Mo:Mo is the highlight of Lunch N’ Munch. The basic mo:mo gets the tangy taste, spices with the goodness of the meat inside. People come from all places to try and taste this. And as much for the hype goes, the dish does not disappoint and will woo you from the very first bite.
The Team
The kitchen is handled by a young, dynamic team of four—two girls and two boys. They are trained and guided by owner of the shutter, Samyukta Rupakheti, who runs the business with her partner Poshan KC. She is not of Newar origin or has the cooking background per se. But she learned cooking and the authentic way of making these dishes from the elders of the Newar community and is continuing to teach the workers as well.
Lunch N’ Munch is including new items to its menu which will complement the already existing dishes for a complete ensemble. Its food can also be ordered online through BHOJ.
