PICS: RUBY TUESDAY

The Factory at Mandala Street is one of those few places in Thamel which was established not for back packers but for Kathmandu's young and urbane crowd. Very popular amongst the whos who of the valley, The Factory has gained quite a reputation for itself as being the place to be seen at on Friday evenings. The bar menu is extensive and offers everything from fine single malt whiskies to sangria by the pitcher.

Factory's décor sets it apart from the multitude of restaurants spread throughout Thamel. Its ultra-modern with an industrial theme running throughout- one that even extends to the restrooms and the (silly) boiler suits that the waiters wear. The bright red cushions in the lounge section provide a vibrant contrast to the otherwise stark walls. Also someone has gone through a lot of trouble creating intricate designs with rope curtains on the windows giving the place a trippy feel.

The restro-bar is apparently packed in the evenings but it was very quite during lunch. Considering we were the only two diners, the service could have been better. I had heard a lot of good things about The Factory and I wanted to give them the benefit of doubt- maybe they were just having an off day. But that streak of 'offness' lasted throughout our meal.

Maybe deciding to order Thai dishes wasn't the best idea- but that's me providing them with an excuse. For what right does a restaurant have to display dishes on its menu that it's not too sure about. The Som Tam Kung lacked crunch and was bland- no fire, no fish oil and there was more carrot than green papaya. The Sautéed Lemon Garlic Prawns were cooked just right, but there was no flavour of either garlic or lemon, and neither did it come nestled on a bed of house mix lettuce as described in the menu.

The mixed Chicken and Shrimp was, in a word, disastrous. The recommended BBQ Chicken Thai Style was just a dry chicken cutlet served with rice and sweet chilli sauce. At the cost of sounding nitpicky, the only thing that was good about that dish was the plain boiled rice. Thai cuisine is defined by its robust shrimp, garlic, lemongrass and chili paste that come together to create dishes that are exquisite and packed with piquancy and zest. This is where The Factory goes wrong- the food lacks zing. The cheesecake was supposed to be the retaurant's saving grace as vouched by a fellow foodie, but the dessert was not available on the day we were there.

The dishes are well presented and generously portioned. The prices are reasonable and the place itself is a definite must visit, if for nothing else than just to see and be seen. It's such a pity about the food though.

Look for Sagarmatha Complex and Mandala Street in Thamel. The flight of stairs leading up to Factory is on the left.