Durbar Marg is well-known for its array of restaurants from little family owned businesses to high end fine dining eateries. This has not stopped new restaurants from sprouting like mushrooms on both sides of this fancy street. If you are one to experiment and eager to have a fantastic culinary experience, look no further than Durbar Marg.
Red Carpet Restro & Bar is situated on this busy street, on the top floor of Sherpa Mall. Claiming to serve the best of Indian, Thai, Chinese, Continental and French cuisine, it is also a Mecca for seafood lovers in this landlocked country.
The restaurant was pretty empty during lunch so we could choose to sit at the bar, their little café, or on the balcony under the sun. We chose to sit outside.
We first noticed the promotional lunch specials. From 11am to 3pm every weekday, you could pick something Continental like Grilled Chicken or be patriotic by choosing the Nepali Thali Set for Rs 275.
Photo: Cynthia Choo
For this lunch meal however, my dining partner and I decided to go for the Pad Thai with Prawn (Rs. 449) as we both have a soft spot for Thai food. Served beautifully with a side of cucumbers, crushed red pepper and peanuts, the bean sprouts that were fried with the dish provided a nice crunch to the soft yet flavourful noodles.
Being a fan of hot and spicy food, I loved that the Pad Thai had a little kick to it. Plus I could feel a bit of Thailand as I tasted the fish sauce.
My dining partner who is not a big fan of spicy food, admitted to the heat but liked that it was less oily than other Pad Thais she tried. This dish is big enough to share among two or more people.
We went with the Club Sandwich (Rs. 299) as our second option. The bread tower of fried egg, bacon, chicken, cheese and fresh lettuce, came with a side of delicious fries. Given that it is almost impossible to find decent fries in Kathmandu - the fries were heavenly. They were crunchy on the outside while remaining soft and warm on the inside.
Our experience with the club sandwich was satisfying without it being too overpowering. They even offered us a side of chilli sauce, my favorite with everything.
No meal is complete without having something sweet. We had our eye on the Chocolate Mikado (Rs. 200) a luxurious and decadent chocolate cake with soft chocolate mousse over a crunchy cookie layer. Sadly, our potential love affair with the cake ended when they said they did not have it.
Thus we went for the Lemon Yogurt Cheese Cake (Rs. 239). With a strong lemon and yoghurt taste, this cheese cake with a sweet crust would be perfect if it was made with a richer version of cream cheese.
In addition, the colorful lampshades hovering over the bar made the ambience warm and comfortable. The staff was also welcoming and polite, and the food was good. We were satisfied at the end of the meal but will definitely be going back again to get a coveted piece of the Chocolate Mikado.
Then the experience will be complete.
How to get there: Red Carpet Restro and Bar is located in Durbarmarg, on the top floor of Sherpa Mall.