Kathmandu is spreading. The edges of the city creep further and further outside the ring road like pizza dough, turning this large city into an extra large meal. It won’t be long before other restaurants, not just households, follow suit of Walter’s Mitho Mitho.
Dipesh Thapa Magar
Formerly in Jhamsikhel, half of Walter’s kitchen was a casualty of Kathmandu’s road widening project. This problem’s forward thinking solution was a spacious re-imagining, now in Bhaisepati, of the former small backyard restaurant.
After a soft opening in December 2013, eight months later Walter’s busy hours are unpredictable since it’s off the beaten path of habitual eateries. But its expansive culinary tastes and relaxing beer garden could make the lulls temporary.
Dipesh Thapa Magar
There’s lots of room at Walter’s. There’s a small street-side stall serving goodies from their own Vienna Bakery still in Jhamsikhel. Inside the walls the tranquil beer garden is lined with benches and pleasantly features a traditional Austrian bowling alley, while further in the confines is lounge seating spread across the grass, a small bar tucked still further in the back, as well as monsoon-proof indoor seating.
Try to knock down all nine pins while drinking a Gorkha beer (Rs 370). That’s just one example of the Nepali-German/Austrian fusion integrated at Walter’s.
Dipesh Thapa Magar
I wanted to order curry wurst (Rs 390), to check as many boxes as possible of the multicultural offerings, however the server shook his head with disapproval. That wasn’t to say it isn’t good, but something about my countenance that evening said abort the Nepali-German fusion mission.
Diplomatically he suggested the German bratwurst. But there are plenty of Nepali, German, Italian, Mexican, and even Middle Eastern dishes too for a multicultural clientele.
The pozazo balls (Rs 210) were touted as the chef’s special. This appetiser seemed bland at first, but offered a great deal of nuanced flavour. What could be the favorite meal of nine year-olds everywhere, the perfectly round fried balls filled with potatoes and cheese bend to the will of your biting teeth, but don’t break initially, as if to make sure you are determined to eat it, before finally giving way to its warm dairy interior. The hot garlic sauce wasn’t spicy, but a tangy take on traditional marinara sauce, which went well with the pozazo balls’ mozzarella filling.
Dipesh Thapa Magar
German bratwurst (Rs 380) was too obvious a decision not to be a good one. Visually charred, the casing was not too tough to inhibit enjoying the chewy sausage. The potato salad also bucked the norms, since the large wedges in a vinegar-based dressing was a delightful departure from typical heavy mayonnaise-based potato salads mashed together.
Three Americans came in on a mission for Viennese chocolate crepes (Rs 280), which did not go unnoticed. After the first bite I was glad their choice became mine. The sweet crepes were not oozing out of the thin pancake despite how forcefully I pressed on the soft top to ooze it out. But the delicate serving of chocolate left me wanting more, rather than sick from a sugar overload.
It’s only a matter of years, months or maybe even a week before many more cultural and culinary destinations like Walter’s envelop the rapidly expanding area outside the ring road.
How to get there: From the ring road take the Sainbu/Bhaisepati road uphill, past the big tree and road dividers. Walter’s is on your left 500m past Bhaisepati chowk.