Nepali Times

I felt like I was going to a friend’s house for dinner when I stepped into Cafe Cheeno (which I am told means keepsake in Nepali). The inner dining area features a couch, a mini-library, and a wine rack. Intricate traditional art adorns the walls and even the ceiling. Along one wall runs a shelf where tote bags and other souvenirs are on sale. The welcoming atmosphere makes Cheeno the perfect place to have a cup of coffee and chat with friends on a cold day.

If the weather is fine and the sun is out, however, you might want to make yourself comfortable at the outdoor garden instead. A wooden door leads to a charming cobblestoned courtyard, walled off from the noise, dust, and chaos outside. There are a number of interesting sights to check out while waiting for your food to arrive, like a wooden pagoda in the centre of a vegetable plot, a swing and a loom where you can buy colourful scarves and rugs.

The open courtyard is ideal for parents in company of restless children, as the food takes quite some time to arrive after ordering. Nevertheless, the waiters are friendly and helpful, even helping me shift my bags when the evening chill nudged me inside.

The starters are a little pricey, with the mini fried-chicken (Rs 350) being tasty, but nothing extraordinary. The potato wedges are a far better option, for just Rs 175 you get a platter of thick-cut potatoes lightly fried and covered with crunchy herbs and spices, the perfect appetiser for your main course. For those of us watching our waistlines, the roasted pumpkin soup (Rs 235) will do nicely: light, smooth, and slightly exotic.

You’re spoiled for choice at Cafe Cheeno when it comes to the mains, with a great selection of pastas, steaks, ribs, and other such Western dishes. For a lighter lunch, opt for a steak sandwich (Rs 250), a change from the typical burgers and hotdogs found at other restaurants. The steak is tender, the glazed onions give it an extra crunch and it’s accompanied by a generous serving of French fries.

If you have the time (and the appetite) the Breaded Chicken (Rs 450) is immensely satisfying. Although the chicken is average at best, the spaghetti topped with grated cheese in tomato sauce and the grilled vegetables make it a delicious and filling meal on the whole.

Cheeno also offers an enticing dessert menu of cakes, cookies, and ice cream, although I was simply too full to indulge. But its elegant decor and comfortable setting will certainly draw me back again, perhaps with a group of friends to sample both the desserts and Australian wines. If you’re on your way to do some shopping at Bhat-Bhateni next door, keep an hour free in your schedule for a meal at Cafe Cheeno.


How to get there: from the Patan Dhoka post office, walk north along the main road and turn left into Krishna Galli leading to Bhat-Bhateni shopping centre, and Cafe Cheeno is on your left.