General Manager Prahlad Raj Kunwar claims the restaurant to have maintained its quality ever since the beginning, and so do Kitchen Executive Ratna Bahadur Thapa and Sous Chef Mohan Sijapati.
“Fine dining is an experience and not a hurried meal,” puts in Kunwar. “You come here for the entire evening to talk and to order food in sequences from aperitif to main course and dessert.”
With Australian, French, Chilean and Italian wines to choose from, there are three choices of soups at Chimney. The Russian Borscht, the soup that made Chimney famous, is on the sweet side with its organic tomato puree and beetroots. What balances out this rather heavy soup is, however, the cream, baby dill (commonly known as saunf) and finely chopped onions that come along as garnishes. Friends usually like to share a bowl of soup, so informs one of the staff members.
Moving on to appetizers, the Curled Italian Parma Ham with ‘disco’ papaya (just means papaya from India, actually) and apple chutney sounds interesting, but the Citrus Marinated Grilled Butterfly Dragon Prawns are too tempting to pass. Served elegantly, the tangy sauce with a squeeze of lemon goes well with the plain spinach. For those who are not keen on seafood, there’s always Caesar’s Salad with organic lettuce, bacon, anchovy and croutons.
The main course has many choices from poultry and beef items to vegetable and fish delights.
The Chicken a la Kiev, from the original menu, demands a big appetite. Enveloped by flour, egg, breadcrumbs and chicken, the melted butter at the center tastes good only while it is hot. In addition, it might be all too buttery for some because even the mash potatoes have butter in them. Chicken Stroganoff would be a safe bet for rice lovers.
The Smoked Bekti (fish from the Bay of Bengal), however, is a five-star dish and will keep you wanting more. Cooked with little spices, it tastes heavenly with cream and steamed vegetables. Pescatarians should definitely choose this over vegetarian dishes such as Paneer Shaslik Oriental and Asparagus, Artichoke and Basil Tortellini.
As for desserts, go for either Baked Alaska a la Sagarmatha – flambéed ice cream and meringue – or Yeti’s Delight – light crepes stuffed with apple puree, cream and sultanas with hot chocolate sauce. Both are originals of Chimney. A reminder: the former will be fired with rum upon being served. The ice cream at its center is indeed the treat of this dessert.
It is quite a blunder for a 5-star hotel to misspell ‘dinning’ on its menu’s cover, but that can be easily forgotten, given the delightful savories The Chimney and its professionals have to offer.
Soups and desserts are priced at Rs 450 and above, appetizers at Rs 700 and above, and main courses range from Rs 950 to Rs 1,800.
Fast Facts
Situated in the premises of Lal Durbar, built in 1886, The Chimney was founded before Hotel Yak & Yeti by Russian national Boris Lissanevitch in 1972. Hotel Yak & Yeti opened five years later, in 1977.
The original name of the restaurant was Yak & Yeti Restaurant and Bar. The name was changed to The Chimney after the copper chimney was installed some three years after it opened.
With a dim-lit setting of copper lampshades and woodcarvings all around its interior, there were only a handful of eateries in Kathmandu when The Chimney opened. It quickly became popular for its delicious foods and cozy ambience
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