22-28 March 2013 #648

La Soon

An excellent place to have a nice dinner in a peaceful surrounding, although the slightly expensive dishes make it less practical as a quick lunch getaway
Someplace Else by Sulaiman Daud

Bhanimandal, Lalitpur might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of fine dining. But away from the city centre and tourist hubs along a quiet street, there is a restaurant that offers Western dishes in a comfortable setting.

La Soon Restaurant and Vinotheque is a lengthy name, but the joint itself is small and cosy. Located on the second floor, it’s a nice place to have a long lazy meal while looking out onto the street below, perhaps while reading a magazine from the collection on hand.

PICS: CINDREY LIU

Originally situated in Pulchok, the restaurant recently moved to Bhanimandal, perhaps to take advantage of the large expat community that lives here. Run by two female entrepreneurs, Dolly Yakthumba and Maria Himmermann, La Soon offers a fairly limited yet adequate range of western cuisine, along with more familiar local fare.

We decided to try a vegetarian and a meat dish for our starters. The fried spinach ravioli (Rs 210) resembled pastry shells with spinach and cheese filling. Dipped in a spicy salsa sauce, the medley of flavours made it a good starter. In contrast, the chilli chicken (Rs 275) was almost too spicy. Served Chinese style in chunks with peppers and onions, the portion was big enough that it could have worked as a meal if served with a side of rice.

Our main courses were similarly satisfying, served in big portions and very tasty to boot. The grilled pork chops at Rs 495 was a little pricey, but the dish itself was excellent, the meat tender and succulent. I strongly recommend the mashed potato as a side, it’s rich with melted butter and complemented the pork chop perfectly.

The pasta with cream sauce (Rs 320) is a better choice for those looking for a lighter meal. Served with olives and your choice of chicken or tuna, it was piping hot and very filling. I prefer my pasta dry and the kitchen was happy to accommodate my request for less cream sauce.

We ended lunch with chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream and orange sauce (Rs 175). It’s only big enough for one and the orange sauce was frustratingly drizzled on the plate in pseudo-artistic style rather than on the soufflé. However the warm, sweet chocolate went very well with the scoop of vanilla ice cream.

La Soon is an excellent place to have a nice dinner in a quiet, peaceful surrounding, although the slightly expensive dishes and remote location make it less practical as a quick lunch getaway. Leave a few hours free this evening and perhaps order a bottle of wine as you catch up with friends over dinner.

GOOGLE MAPS

How to get there: Once at Ekantakuna, turn into Bhanimandal. La Soon is directly opposite Laxmi Bank on the second floor.