sweetened with ketchup, that leaves a thrilling wake of heat. The
appetizers cost a modest $10 on average but are the size of main
courses. Those who don’t eat meat are accorded the same
generous helpings. Samosa chat is big enough for a small party.
Overwhelmed by choices? Consider the Nepali set meal. For
$25, you get a taste of four selections delivered on a slender
wooden tray: a choice of entree — go for the succulent goat,
seemingly free of bones and pungent with cilantro — and a trio
of side dishes, including a vibrant cauliflower curry and stir-
fried mustard greens.
Most of the food is so riveting, you find yourself
oversampling. (Insert raised hand.) “Very spicy,” the menu
warns about pork curry, whose green and red Thai chile heat
permeates each eye-popping morsel. But even the tamer yak
stew, warm with cumin and garam masala and filled out with
zucchini, sustains interest to the end.
The owners put diners on a pedestal in just about every way
imaginable. The 90 or so seats inside include booths, circular
tables (hello, book clubbers!) and a spot for 10 near a hearth,
plus a stack of booster seats near the entrance that signals diners
of all ages are welcome. Floating near the Himalaya-high ceiling
are fabric panels that do their best to sponge the sound from a
crowd and concrete floors below. That colorful cotton napkin in
your lap? Jarga’s father, a tailor, is responsible for the handmade
Dhaka.
The cocktail and wine lists look like compilations you’d find
at a hot spot in Washington; their author, Jarga, is a veteran of
the cruise industry, where he cooked, and the Watergate Hotel,show up as eight supple wonders on the rim of a bowl containing
garlic-laced roasted tomato sauce, furrowed white triangles so
thin you can see the outline of their fillings. There are five from
which to choose. The restaurant’s theme has me springing for
ground yak, deftly seasoned with coriander, cumin and garam
masala so you can still appreciate the juicy texture and delicate
beefy flavor of the mountain cattle.
Chow mein is another famous street food to explore, and a
reminder that China is a neighbor to the north of the landlocked
Nepal. Thin yellow wheat noodles arrive with a confetti of
scallions, red cabbage, carrots and other vegetables, each bite
smoky from the wok and splashed with sweet-salty oyster sauce
(or mushroom sauce on request). The sublime balancing act
keeps you returning to the dish even as other plates start
crowding the table.
If some of the attendants seem especially engaged, it could be
because both chefs are inclined to run food out from the kitchen,
particularly when they’re down a server, but any time they’re
free. “We don’t want to compromise on service,” says Gurung,
who appreciates getting “instant reviews” from customers.
(When some diners told him they liked his biryani save for the
dried fruit on top, he omitted the garnish, which customers can
still get if they ask.)
Pick a meat and you’re likely to find it starring as a first
course. Luscious chunks of pork, crisp from their time in a clay
oven, resonate with mustard oil, ginger and garlic. (The tongue
buzz comes from Sichuan peppercorns.) Chicken stir-fried with
purple onion and bell peppers is finished with a chile sauce,Looking for your next adventure? Visit Downtown Frederick,
Maryland — a charming, historic downtown filled with amazing
restaurants and local craft beverages, unique shops and galleries,
and experiences you can’t find anywhere else.EXPLORE SOMETHING NEW
IN DOWNTOWN
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