I’ve almost worn out my shoes chasing the best noodle soup 🍜

The longer I stay in Nepal, the more I understand why thukpa became my "favorite Nepali dish"—for a Cantonese person who can’t swallow food without soup, this noodle soup, packed with meat, veggies, noodles, and broth, is nothing short of salvation. But who knew finding a satisfying bowl of thukpa would be harder than navigating Kathmandu’s streets? Every shop hides its own tricks in the broth, noodles, and meat, making each bite feel like unboxing a mystery. It wasn’t until I stumbled on these two spots that I finally got what a "perfect thukpa" should taste like. 🍲 Why thukpa? A Cantonese soul’s "soup obsession" in Nepal The first time I had thukpa in Thamel, I almost teared up. In a blue and white porcelain bowl, thick round noodles soaked in amber broth, slices of buff (water buffalo meat) floating on top, with spinach, tomatoes, and potato chunks hiding below. Steam carrying the scent of turmeric and chili hit my face—and I thought, "This is basically a Nepali version of Cantonese noodle soup." For my "soup-or-nothing" Cantonese stomach, momo in Nepali cuisine is too dry, dal bhat’s sauce too thick. Only thukpa gets me: the broth must be rich enough to sip with noodles; the noodles must be chewy, soaking up broth without going mushy; the meat must be tender with a bit of bite; the veggies must be crisp, cutting richness and adding freshness. Finish the bowl, slurp the last drop of broth, and feel a light sweat on your forehead—that’s when you’re truly "full." 🧐 Thukpa as a mystery box: Every shop serves a "Schrödinger’s noodle soup" After trying enough thukpa, I realized there’s no "standard version"— Some shops make broth like diluted curry, with an overpowering, bitter turmeric kick that makes you set down the spoon after two sips; some noodles turn mushy in five minutes, losing all chew; the worst was a bowl with cold meat, rubbery and tough, tasting like chewing ice against hot broth. But there are surprises: once, a small eatery served clear beef bone broth, pale gold with cilantro floating on top—sipping it, you could taste the subtle sweetness of marrow. Another shop made fresh-pulled noodles, thick and wheat-scented, "crunching" as you chewed, soaking up broth greedily. Every time you lift the bowl lid, it’s a gamble: will today’s mystery box be a delight or a dud? 🌟 Current top 2 picks: These two are worth a detour Garden restaurant on the way to Swayambhunath 🌿 Hidden in a side path on the right of the Swayambhunath hiking trail, with bougainvillea at the door and tables under tree shade. Their thukpa is "rich and bold": broth simmers for hours with beef bones and tomatoes, bright red like tomato beef brisket soup. One sip brings a mild spice, mixed with beef aroma, finishing with a hint of sweetness. Buff meat is sliced thin, tender enough to melt; noodles are local thick ones, staying chewy no matter how long they soak; the star is local radish, crisp and "crunchy," balancing the broth’s richness. Sitting in the garden, watching distant snow-capped mountains while eating, you’ll even scoop up the last bits of meat from the bowl bottom. Soi 16 in Thamel 🍢 Tucked in an alley off Thamel’s main street, with a small sign but always a line. Their thukpa leans "fresh and clean": broth is pale yellow, with scallions and Sichuan peppercorns floating, tasting like "Nepali-spiced Lanzhou noodle soup"—fresh with a tingle of numbing spice. Meat is buff with a bit of tendon, braised then sliced, chewy but not tough; noodles are thin and round, soaking up broth quickly—slurp them down in a few bites. Fried soybeans in the bowl are the cherry on top, crispy and fragrant, adding a new layer of delight to every bite. I’m still on my thukpa exploration mission—Kathmandu’s alleys hide too many possibilities. But if you ask me "which to right now," these two easily make my "Kathmandu Noodle Soup Hall of Fame." To my fellow noodle soup lovers, when in Kathmandu, join this "mystery box challenge"—who knows, you might find a thukpa I’ll envy forever. #NoodleSoup #BeefNoodleSoup #thukpa #buff #NepaliFood #NepaliCuisine #KathmanduFood