Imago Dei offers a glimpse of Kathmandu's well to do in mid-week play: broods straight from Stepford convene on comfy couches; clean-cut, architectural types in an adjacent art space discuss over frites and beauty queen runner-ups primp up on their laptops. The café gallery in Gairidhara boasts a pleasant atmosphere that encourages social dates and casual conferences in style. Its whitewashed, wide-open space with red accented walls, high ceilings and natural lighting are ideal for vernissages and mixers. But despite its divinely inspired moniker and airy environment, Imago Dei's fare is lackluster and far from ambrosial.

Its version of adobo, chicken or pork cooked in a ginger and hot and sour sauce reduction, doesn't do justice to the Spanish or Filipino dish. The meal was too salty, even with a mound of brown rice, and tasted more like a Chinese stir-fry. Sanepa's U Café maintains the standard for adobo in the city.

On the list of specials, the bacon avocado wrap, according to the server, has been long unavailable. Then, why advertise? So to our dismay, we opted for the Mexican taco wrap, which was disappointing: chopped salad and minced chicken (barely traceable) folded into a moo-shoo style wrap. And the fish and chips apart from its watered-down mayo dip was good but not worth Rs 400 and could be better served with malt vinegar, London-style.

Pasta options are abundant, but the spaghetti was overcooked and the tomato sauce and chicken meatballs lacked seasoning.

Imago Dei's redemption aside from its inviting space is found in its ends. As a starter or snack, the spinach and artichoke dip and chips is a cheese concoction that will have customers relishing in seconds. Desserts like homemade macaroons and tiramisu pair well with a cup of French-pressed brew or a sup of imported liqueur.
Look into Imago Dei to meet friends and colleagues over snacks or cakes and coffee, but steer clear of price-blinding specials that leave us hankering elsewhere.

Up road from Darbar Marg, find the cafe facing the eastern wall of Narayanhiti Museum