Caf� Cheeno announced itself to Patan Dhoka a couple of years back, and despite the attractive brick fa�ade emergent on the corner with Krishnagalli, the first thought that passed through my mind in those Sisdolean days was, "Trust a Nepali restaurant to spring up next to a festering pile of garbage." Garbage isn't so much an issue now as is the construction of Lalitpur's own Bhatbhateni next door, but one imagines Cheeno will welcome the human traffic to ensue.

For now, Cheeno is all yours. You enter through a small indoor caf� that feels more like the souvenir shop it doubles as, and out into a large space littered with tables not particularly sheltered from the sun and the wind. We took refuge on a dais-table, and admired the swings and benches set into the garden fronting the proprietors' residence.

Cheeno sports a fairly standard mix of salads, pastas and continental mains, the more alluring of which I imagine would be rather beyond the budgets of most locals. Armed with a fresh and cool Organic Mint Soda, I therefore ordered the straightforward and cheapish Chicken Burger. I was pleasantly surprised; for once, a chicken burger that wasn't a token fill 'er up, thanks to juicy meat seasoned with herbs and onions.

On another day, a Strawberry Smoothie proved somewhat rich before a main course, but it was predictably tasty, and one appreciated crunching the very real seeds therein. It was just as well service took a while to reappear, for when it did, I was ready to go where no self-respecting carnivore would go � to the Stuffed Tomatoes.

But I insured myself with a Corn and Bacon Chowder soup. The sweetness of the corn was perfectly complemented by the crunchy fattyness of the chunks of bacon, and I didn't mind the breadsticks and wholewheat mini-buns either. The stuffed tomatoes, when they arrived, looked attractive and healthy � three red spheres in a sea of brown lentils, with a supporting act of buttered rice and green salad. The spinach, cheese and potato stuffing was perfectly acceptable (though I couldn't but wish for more variety, inside and outside. How about bell peppers?)

The first hint of competition in the neighbourhood of the longstanding Dhokaima Caf�; regulars at the latter would do well to branch out before the Bhat Bhateni invasion.

Nepali Kukur

Head west from Patan Dhoka and stop at the corner with Krishnagalli.

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