Three days in a row at this Chinese restaurant 😭

After munching on curry and momos in Thamel for half a month, I suddenly craved the savory sauce of braised beef one midnight. When I finally tracked down this alley-hidden Chinese restaurant on the map, I almost teared up 😢 pushing open the door—spotless glass door, two potted green ivies 🌿 at the entrance, handwritten signs on the wall reading "Today’s specials: tomato scrambled eggs, mapo tofu," and the owner poking out from the kitchen in a floral apron 👩🍳: "Fellow countryman? What would you like to eat?" For the next three days, my meal times were completely taken over by this place. No exaggeration—finding a Chinese restaurant in Nepal that’s clean, authentic-tasting, and affordable is like striking gold ✨. It’s not just a restaurant; it feels like a "temporary home" stumbled upon while adrift. 🌿 A "clean corner" hidden in the alley: even the kitchen welcomes your inspection 👀 Turning into the alley from Thamel’s main street, walk 30 meters on the bluestone path, and you’ll spot the red-painted characters "Home-Cooked Dishes"—that’s the place. Unlike the greasy Nepali eateries nearby, the white walls here have no trace of oil, the wooden tables are polished to a shine ✨, and even the chopstick holders are neatly arranged. The most impressive part is the "transparent kitchen"—behind the glass partition, the chef is tossing a wok, the clink of spatula against pot crisp, and the scallions, ginger, and garlic 🧄 on the chopping board are stacked like small cubes. It just feels reassuring. When traveling alone, I always worry about unhygienic tableware, but here, no need: water cups are served after being scalded, tissues are individually wrapped, and even the rice bowls are warm. The owner says, "Most who come are Chinese; we’ve got to stick to our home rules." After sitting a while, I noticed many Chinese expats working in Nepal also frequent the place, ordering a table of dishes to chat over—for a moment, it feels like a neighborhood restaurant back home 🏘️. 💰 Full bellies for just a few dozen RMB: "Chinese food freedom" in Nepal 🥳 Staring at the bill for the first time, I checked it repeatedly: braised beef + mixed vegetables + two bowls of rice + a cola, totaling only 380 NPR (about 19 RMB). Later, I brought an American friend, ordering Yuxiang shredded pork, dry-fried green beans, and tomato egg soup—three of us ate until we could barely stand 🥴, and it was only 800 NPR (about 40 RMB). Considering a Nepali set meal in Thamel costs 300 NPR, this price is practically "Chinese food charity." The owner chuckles, "Earning money abroad isn’t easy; we don’t rip off tourists." Indeed, the priciest dish on the menu—braised beef—is only 200 NPR (10 RMB), with portions large enough to cover half a bowl of rice. Compared to the "sky-high priced Chinese food" in domestic scenic spots, this place is so generous you’ll want to come weekly for a feast 🍽️. 🥘 Four dishes that "seal the deal": every bite is a "taste of home" Braised beef 🍖: Served in an enamel bowl still steaming, chunks of beef coated in reddish-brown sauce, a glossy layer of oil floating on top. Nepali beef is indeed a bit tough, but it’s stewed long enough that the fibers soak up the soy sauce and rock sugar flavor, chewy yet increasingly fragrant. Potatoes 🥔 are stewed until mushy, melting on the tongue—even the sauce mixed with rice makes you polish off two bowls. A must-order every time; 4.5 stars to keep the owner humble. Mixed seasonal vegetables 🥬: Carrots, greens, wood ear mushrooms, and snow peas stir-fried to a shine, no fancy seasonings—just the aroma of scallions and ginger sizzled in oil, crisp enough to crunch. After eating so much curried vegetables in Nepal, this fresh, clean plate feels like "a bath for the stomach"—even vegetable-haters fight over bites. Yuxiang shredded pork 🐷: Perfect balance of sweet and sour! Thinly sliced pork, tender as tofu after being coated in starch and flash-fried, stir-fried with bamboo shoots and wood ear strips, sauce clinging evenly to every strand. My American friend’s eyes widened 😲 on first bite: "This is ten times better than the Chinese restaurant in New York!" He even scraped the last bit of sauce with a spoon. Dry-fried green beans 🫘: Must say "less spicy" in advance! Nepali dried chili is hotter than Sichuan’s 🌶️—without warning, it’ll make you chug water. But the stir-fry is spot-on: beans until wrinkled, (with) a charred aroma, minced pork mixed with fermented black beans for saltiness, so good with rice you’ll stamp your feet. The owner says the beans are bought fresh daily from the local market—no wonder they taste faintly sweet. #NepalFood #FoodGuide #ThamelStreet #ThamelChineseFood #NepalChineseFood #SichuanCuisine #UnforgettableFoodExperience #NepalTravel #BraisedBeef