“Sophisticated food for grown-ups”: Leslie Williams is well impressed with Montys of Katmandu
Monty's of Kathmandu opened in November 1997 and became a mainstay of the city's dining culture within what seemed like months. Two recent meals reminded me just why this unassuming restaurant remains a classic.
Shivan and Lina Gautam offer a mix of home-style Nepalese food mixed with court food and succeed in creating an atmosphere of almost Zen-like calm for their diners.
The restaurant is plusher now than when it opened with lots of dark wood and red velvet but feels just as calm as I remember. Bronze plates (Khass Thal in Nepalese) and water jugs are a new addition and eating from them is oddly satisfying - Nepalese tradition is that a little metal in the body is good for it we were told.
Nepal is a country of 25 million people and nestled as it is between China and India there are influences from a mix of cultures reflected in the cooking. The food seems closest to Indian at first glance but there are also dumplings, soy sauce (occasionally) and a complex mix of ingredients and flavours that make it a cuisine unto itself.
An unsung star of Monty's cooking is their charcoal Tandoor oven (virtually all others in the country are electric). Charcoal tandoors are much trickier to use but Montys would never sacrifice flavour for convenience.
Montys food is best enjoyed when you can mix and match the flavours so we asked for the mains and starters to be served as they were cooked.
First to arrive was the Poleka Squid which has become legendary (three different people said “you gotta try the squid” to me when I said I was due to review Montys). The baby squid is marinated in spices and roasted for about 30 seconds in the charcoal tandoor oven and served sizzling on a bed of onions. The brief cooking time is enough to cook the flesh while keeping it moist and melt-in-the-mouth tender.
Deep fried vegetables, onion bhaji and and prawns were in ethereally light batter and chicken and lamb curries (for want of a better word) were pungent and rich with flavours of fenugeek and mustard oil.
Our one main course was the barbecued pork (Bandel Tareko) which tasted of charcoal from the oven and was simply tossed with some light vegetables and fresh sweet and hot peppers with a hint of richness from the addition of soy sauce.
The Jhaneko Dhal was languorous and deeply satisfying as a contrast to the stronger flavours in the meal. Trying to explain the pleasure to be had in a good dhal to the uninitiated is like trying to explain porridge to a French person or black pudding to a vegetarian.
Our steamed rice was fragrant and fresh and the naan breads arrived still smoking from the tandoor.
Gajar ko haluwa is Montys signature dessert made from grated carrot, condensed milk and cinnamon – dense, sweet and subtle and not to be missed as it cleanses all the mustard oil and chilli from the system.
There are no forced flavours in this cooking, this is lightness of touch, subtlety and freshness – this is elegant sophisticated food for grown-ups.
Total Bill including a bottle of Australian Riesling at €27 was €93.95.
Leslie Williams
Montys of Katmandu, 28 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel 01-670 4911 / 670 4915
www.Montys.ie
