Where good food meets good ambience

Amidst the buzzing neighborhood of Jhamsikhel and the myriads of busy cafes and restaurant in the area is the considerably quiet and unyoked The Yard by Oasis Garden Homes. Oasis Garden Homes was initially a bed and breakfast company that came into operation in the year 2014. It’s just from the start of this Nepali New Year – when they had to shift from their original location to Jhamsikhel where they are situated right now – that they decided to launch an eatery alongside their bed and breakfast business.

“When we moved here, we saw the potential of this place to run an eatery. It has a really big and open yard so we thought why not open up a restaurant in the yard and ulitize that space as well. It also compliments our bed and breakfast business so it all worked out,” says Dhiraj Dhungana. He is one of the co-founders of Oasis Garden Homes alongside Abhishek Thapa and Dipesh Ghale. Thapa reveals that he was the one who came up with the name The Yard and he thinks the name is very fitting for the eatery since it is located on the yard of Oasis Garden Homes overlooking their organic herb garden.

The Yard promotes its menu as continental and Italian with a touch of local Nepali cuisines. Senu Ranjit, the head chef at The Yard, specializes in Italian cuisine so their menu is heavily influenced by it. Ranjit apparently worked as the head Italian cuisine chef at a restaurant in New Zealand for three years before joining The Yard. And it is probably that experience that has helped him craft a wonderful menu at The Yard.

Thapa mentions that the main theme and aesthetics under which they are running The Yard is subtlety and they have also tried their best to make it environment friendly. “We have a woodsy theme to our interior which adds to the whole aesthetic of the restaurant and the outdoor dining experience is also not that common in Nepal because almost everywhere (within Nepal) people go indoors to enjoy their food. We feel that dulls down the senses and that a fresh ambience always makes your food taste better,” claims Thapa adding that you have to enjoy your food as you take in your surroundings to make eating an experience and not just something you do to fill yourself.

And Thapa seems to be right because a complaint they get very frequently from their customers is that they close too early. It seems people like it there. But Thapa claims that since they are located in a more residential area rather than out on the main road, they have to respect their neighbor’s right to a quite and peaceful environment too. Dhungana also reveals that although they want to serve a breakfast menu to their customers too, that has not really been possible till date due to different challenges that they are working to find solutions to. Currently The Yard opens its doors only around noon and shuts down at 10 pm but Dhungana promises that they will start serving breakfast within the next few months.

Bruschetta – Mushroom

Price: Rs 380

Rating: ****

Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer and one of the most popular items in The Yard’s menu. The base of it is toasted baguette with sautéed mushroom on top and there is also a good amount of parmesan cheese, olives, and concentrated balsamic vinegar to tie in the flavors. This is quite filling and could serve as a light meal when you aren’t that hungry but could eat something. Now we all know that feeling, don’t we?

Pork Chop

Price: Rs 700

Rating: ***

The grilled pork chop is very tender and is served with BBQ sauce and topped with grilled pineapple. If you want to get the best flavor out of this dish then we suggest you add in a piece of pineapple and mashed potatoes along with the pork chop into the same bite. Steamed vegetables served with it also add to the taste. It wasn’t the best pork chop we have tasted but it makes for a wholesome meal and the price also feels right for it so it’s a win-win situation.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Price: Rs 400

Rating: ****

Lettuce and croutons tossed and served with shaved parmesan, crispy bacon, eggs and anchovies make up this wonderful Caesar salad. This is a very filling and healthy meal that is under the Mains section in The Yard’s menu. Thapa claims that although this is technically a salad, the bacon, anchovies and eggs and the proportion of the dish make it a very filling meal. Indulge in this salad when you want a proper meal but also don’t want to feel stuffed after eating.

Chicken Schnitzel

Price: Rs 600

Rating: *****

The Yard’s Chicken Schnitzel is arguably the best one in Kathmandu. It is made with malleted chicken breast that is crumbed and deep-fried. The sides, fries and salad dressed with balsamic vinegar are just as good as the Schnitzel. The mushroom sauce served with the dish is savory and ties it all together beautifully.