Guests don't need to climb the highest peaks in Nepal to find authentic Nepalese cuisine. They only need to climb one flight of stairs in the heart of Boronia.
Nestled back from the corner of Boronia Road and Dorset Road is Namaste Nepal. It's a small restaurant located on the second level of a non-descript rental block, towering above Boronia and offering eastern Melbourne a destination for Nepalese cuisine.
A entree of traditional momos
While its furniture styling is plain and functional, Namaste Nepal's complementary décor is what brings The Himalayas to Boronia. Colourful prayer flags fly above diners' heads in long strands, as if you're sitting in the shadows of Bodhnath Stupa. Frames hang from the walls, bringing memories from faraway Nepal to dine-in guests – Mount Everest and Annapurna Pass. Framed spheres of mandala art are scattered throughout. A strand of incense smoke burns from a stick at reception and wafts through the dining area to the beat of Nepali folk music drumming in the background.
A hearty serve of baigun aloo
What epitomises Nepalese cooking is the quintessential momo – traditional steamed dumpling filled with finely diced vegetables, flavoured with coriander and garlic, and served with a spicy, peanut sauce. Four plump momos arrive soon after ordering and, together with a straw basket of hot papadums, make for a light start to the meal.
Sag dal, chew fry, babar and rice
Another basket, filled with doughy babar, arrives steaming together with ivory-white rice. Our waitress serves us baigun aloo, soft eggplant and potato pieces smothered in lightly spiced, tomato gravy. A Nepalese meal would not be complete without a sister serving of dal, lentil-based stew. Tonight, it's sag dal, or lentils and spinach.
What sets Nepalese dal apart from its Indian counterpart is a runnier, broth-like consistency; perfect for saturating babar and rice. A bowl of chew fry, sautéed mushrooms, ginger and garlic, gives the meal a satisfying finish, providing guests with a decent-sized dinner without being made to feel bloated, overfed or overcharged. If guests are pining for a small, sweet finish, then a teeny serve of rato mohan, fried cottage cheese balls, is a tempting choice.
A generous banquet menu is available for guests who want to sample a variety of choices. Prices for all menu items are very cheap, and weekly dine-in discounts are applied generously. Take-away is also on hand for the busier patrons in the area.
