There is no cuisine unique to Nepal. Dhal bhat (literally lentils and rice, generally served with vegetable curries) is the base of all meals. Despite the lack of variety, some dhal bhats that are particularly well cooked can turn out to be surprisingly good. Some restaurants offer momos, Tibetan meat or vegetable dumplings that are fried or steamed, as well as other Tibetan specialties. Indian, Chinese, Thai, and even Mexican and Japanese restaurants in Kathmandu offer you a wide choice of cuisines. Pizzas and pasta as well as international cuisine are widely available.

Lassi, a refreshing drink made from yogurt and water (check the origin of the water!) appears on almost every menu. You'll find tea mixed with milk and sugar, served steaming hot. Nepal makes a beer, Tchang, made from rice or barley, and a rice or wheat barley called Rashki.

APPETIZERS/SNACKS

Chatamari
(Newari) food resembles Pizza or Dosa (south Indian). rice flour flat bread cooked over heat with toppings such as minced meat (with or without some vegetable), egg, sugar or no toppings.

Choyla
(Newari) grilled /roasted spicy meat. usually eaten as appetizer with liquor

Gundruk
dried and fermented green vegetables leaves. when made to soup gives a slightly sour, slightly tangy.

Kwati
(Newari) soup with many beans. a festival specialty

Momo(cha)
(Newari) a dumplings filled with minced meat (usually buffalo in Nepal, Turkey elsewhere), served steamed or fried. very popular appetizer, afternoon snack or evening meal.

Samay Baji
(Newari) beaten rice with roasted meat, smoked fish, boiled-then-fried egg, black soybeans and diced ginger.usually a ritual food co

Sekuwa
grilled meat usually made from mutton, duck, chicken, buff, wild boar.

Sel
donoght-like shaped dessert/snack made from rice flour

Sukuti
spicy dried meat roasted over a charcoal fire.

Alu Tama
Potato made with bamboo shoots.

Takhala
(Newari) Jello of meat soup served cold.

Wo and Bara
(Newari) flour patty made of lentils with or without meat/egg topping. used in ritual or festival or used as snack.

MAIN DISHES

Alu Tama
Bamboo shoot and potato.

Dal
lentil soup usually eaten with rice. most popular lentils usued as dal in Nepal are black, red and yellow.

Sag
Green Vegetables - Spinach, mustard greens or broad-leaved mustard. A standard accompaniment to plain rice for lunch or dinner.

Masu
meat with spices (curry) and gravy. usually served with rice. Most Nepalese eat chicken, mutton. Some eat buffalo and pork. Almost no one eats cow. Killing cow is prohibited in Nepal

Bhat
steamed rice

Tarkari
any vegetable or group of vegetables in curry, usually broth. can be made in thousand s ways.

RELISHES

Achar
a sour, spice or seet pickle. can be made in thousand ways. the most poplar are made of ground tomatoes, sliced radish, ground coriander, boiled or diced potatoes.

Sanya Khuna
(Newari) hot, spicy, salty jellotype food made from fish soup.

DESSERTS

Dahi
Yogurt/Curd

Juju Dhau
popular creamy curd from Bhaktapur. Juju literally means ‘‘king".

Sikarni
curd mixed with dried fruits.

DRINKS

Rakshi
liquor (can mean local liquor)

Thon (Newari) or Chhyang (Tibetan)
the milky white beer/liquor made from fermented rice.

Tongba
a popular liquor in the hills. made by pouring hot water into a pot of fermented millet and drunk with a bamboo straw.