Owned by the Nanglo consortium of restaurants and after 25 years of being in the business, The Bakery Café still hasn’t earned culinary credibility. Food snobs turn their noses up at the thought of a meal here and the general consensus among most of them seems to be that they wouldn’t be caught dead eating here anymore. But when in Darbar Marg and the hunger pangs hit hard, it is still a good place to go for a quick bite and a satisfying one at that.
The place which had started reeking a little of general seediness and decrepitude has undergone extensive renovations. With its revamped look, the cafe hopes to regain some of its lost popularity with the young crowd and Darbar Marg frequenting yuppies.
Colour blocked green and orange walls pay homage to the original colour scheme and newly upholstered leather chairs and the addition of a bar and a coffee counter seek to lure in new patrons.
Having spent a large part of my youth in here, I have to admit I know the menu really well. Back then Kathmandu didn’t have as many gustatory choices to sample from and also, the Bakery Cafe was best suited to a young person’s limited budget. Happy to note that the prices are still reasonable and a decent meal for two can still be had for less than a thousand rupees.
The buff momos (Rs 155) here are the most popular dish – so popular that Nanglo even has an annual momo festival dedicated to our nation’s favourite snack. I like to dip the momo while it’s still piping hot into the accompanying bowl of tomato chutney, then add a swirl of tomato ketchup and a dollop of sheng cheung chili sauce and pop the whole thing into my mouth- the clashing flavours and the heat transforming the humble momo into one that comforts my soul. Though the dish honestly needs to come with a cautionary caveat- know that a plate of this will leave you burping, and re-tasting said flavours for the rest of the day!
The hamburger (Rs 165) is plain, unadorned and perfectly adequate- it is what it is supposed to be – a meat patty in a bun. No surprises there. The chicken sizzler (Rs 350) comes with noodles, roast potatoes and steamed vegetables with brown sauce. The meat was beautifully cooked- tender and falling off the bones and so moist- much better than at many over-hyped and thus accordingly priced restaurants in the valley.
PICS: RUBY TUESDAY
Oftentimes in life, in our rush to try the new – experiences, places and people, old faithfuls fall on the wayside; not forgotten but relegated to the back of the mind knowing that they will still be around. No recriminations, no questions asked, just so welcoming that you fall into old patterns and that is how revisiting the Bakery Café felt - like visiting an old familiar and comforting friend.
How to get there: In Darbar Marg, turn left from the roundabout, The Bakery Café is next to KFC and Pizza Hut. You can also enjoy the exact same tastes in Naxal Bhatbhateni, New Road, Baneshwore, Pulchowk, Jawlakhel and even at cities outside the capital.