Lha Kitchen — Restaurant in Humayunpur

⭐ The owner may be Nepali, but the staff and especially the FOOD was definitely NOT! (Owner seems to be mistaken that staff not being nepali is an issue for us - its not but its definitely creates a communication gap when they cannot speak neither hindi english or even nepali which leads to person repeating their order/requests thrice or more.

🍽️ I’ve visited other restaurants near this location, so I decided to give it a try — but I won’t be going back again.

⏳ Wait time — Despite it being a weekday evening, it was busy. We had to wait 15–25 minutes, not because the food was great, but because the space was small and service was slow. (SLOW SERVICE BEING THE MAIN REASON)

💡 Ambience — This seems to be a common pattern in most restaurants/cafés in the area: they claim to be Nepali/Tibetan etc., but all they create is a very basic interior with dim lights. This one was no different. Space was limited, and seating was compact, which was ok as i was not looking for a 7 star dining experience

🙋 Staff — The staff was polite, most of them from the North East. They were trying, but since they didn’t speak Hindi or English well, communication was difficult - had to repeat everything thrice to even get the order placed. ❌ They also lacked basic courtesy — for example, one girl picked up a glass from our table (we were 4 people, so we needed it) and gave it to a guest at the next table and then she didn’t even come back with another glass. Said nothing and just picked it. 👨‍💼 The owner, who was managing the cash desk, seemed polite and friendly. He tried to handle the delays attentively but didn’t quite succeed.

🧽 Cleanliness — The table had been cleaned before we sat down, but not properly - saw the food scraps on table that the previous customer had left. 🚻 The bathroom, on the other hand, was surprisingly well maintained. The staff cleaned it after every 2–3 people, and while the design wasn’t aesthetic, it was clean — honestly cleaner than the tables.

🕐 Service — We waited 25–30 minutes for starters and another 20 minutes for dinner. 🔁 Service was very slow, and we had to keep reminding them of our order every 5 minutes. That’s probably why we got our food sooner than others, many of whom waited 30–40 minutes for even their first dish. 📦 They were fulfilling a lot of deliveries, which I assume delayed service for dine-in guests. Personally, I feel restaurant customers should be the priority, or at least the staff should manage this balance better.

🥟 Food — We ordered: • Veg Jhol Momo — very average. The jhol (curry) was served cold, ruining the taste further — after a 20 min wait. Room temp would still be fine bur cold from the fridge was weird. • Boiled Potato Side Dish (Bhutani) — bland and flavorless. It arrived when we were almost ready to leave. We even tried to cancel, but they insisted we take it since it was “already in prep” (which itself took 20 mins). If anything after a delay of min 20 mins on each dish they should not force an order especially when delay is at their end. • Veg & Non-Veg Thakali Thali — Everything was served cold: the dal, curry, chicken, rice, and even the ghee nothing was even reheated. Even food from stalls in Nepal are served HOT not to mention the taste there is way different. The dal and curry was not good the rice appeared stale - the ghee would have made it ok but that too was served cold. Imagine eating a sizzler but cold without salt and spices. ❌ They clearly don’t know what a real Thakali meal is. The taste was bad, and the cold rice etc made it worse.

😒 I might have overlooked the delays and poor service if the food was at least good. But it wasn’t. They market themselves as serving Nepali/Tibetan/Bhutani meals, but they haven’t mastered even a single dish. Then again, most people don’t really know the taste of authentic Nepali/Thakali food, so they don’t notice the difference.

⚖️ All in all — They need major improvements in almost every area. For me, it was overrated, especially considering the price, quality, taste, and even...

Visited July 27, 2025 – Day 24 in India

The owner of Lha Kitchen, Dickey, has been following me on social media for a long time, and when she found out we were coming to Delhi, she warmly invited us to visit her restaurant. We had originally hoped to meet on July 4 but the timing didn’t work out. As fate would have it, while driving from Agra to Delhi and feeling quite hungry for lunch, I reached out to her — and to our delight, she was at the restaurant that day. Everything fell into place perfectly.

From the very beginning, Dickey’s kindness shone through. She graciously sent her brother Akshay to guide us to the restaurant, which is tucked down a peaceful alleyway, a true hidden gem. As we arrived, Dickey met us at the entrance with the warmest and most heartfelt welcome. I felt an instant connection with her, and so did my two daughters, ages 5 and 7. It was one of those rare moments that felt like meeting an old friend for the first time.

The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful — tranquil, inviting, and thoughtfully designed. Tibetan prayer wheels line the entrance, setting a serene and spiritual tone. Inside, the décor is a perfect blend of cozy and elegant, with earthy tones, wooden textures, soft lighting, and low seating inspired by traditional Himalayan and Japanese aesthetics. The whole space exudes peace and authenticity. It truly felt like stepping into a serene mountain retreat in the heart of Delhi.

We were welcomed so warmly by Dickey, Akshay, and the entire team. It was clear from the start that this was not just a restaurant but a space filled with care, love, and soul.

We began our meal with Dickey’s famous kothey — pan fried pork momo that we had seen all over social media. They lived up to every bit of the hype and more. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and absolutely bursting with flavor. My girls couldn’t get enough of them. We also ordered two portions of the pork steamed momo, which were equally incredible — plump, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Without a doubt, the best momo we’ve had in Delhi.

Dickey thoughtfully ordered chaang, a traditional alcoholic rice beer, for my husband and he really enjoyed it. For me, she chose the vegetarian thali and pork trotters, and both were absolutely outstanding. The thali was beautifully plated, and just before serving, a server poured hot ghee over the rice — a small but delightful touch that brought pure joy to my daughters, who immediately dug into my plate before I could even snap a photo. That’s how tempting it all looked.

Every item on the thali was flavorful and comforting. The vegetables were cooked to perfection, and the dal was simply divine — so nourishing, rich, and comforting that I couldn’t help going back for seconds. The pork trotters were a revelation — tender, deeply flavorful, and cooked with such love. Every bite was an experience in itself. I was completely in love.

As if that wasn’t enough, Dickey herself prepared a special dessert for us — Darshen, a traditional treat made with crispy fried noodles topped with ice cream. It was unique, indulgent, and utterly delicious. All of us — kids and adults alike — dove in with big smiles, savoring every spoonful together.

We left with full bellies and even fuller hearts. What touched me the most wasn’t just the exceptional food, but the warmth, hospitality, and care that we were shown throughout our visit. Dickey’s kindness, generosity, and attention to detail created a truly unforgettable experience. She made us feel not like customers, but like family.

A heartfelt thank you to Dickey, Akshay, and the entire Lha Kitchen team for taking such wonderful care of us. This wasn’t just a meal — it was a beautiful memory that we’ll cherish forever.

If I could give more than five stars, I would. Lha Kitchen is a place where food is prepared with heart, where every guest is treated with love, and where the warmth lingers long after...

I used to love this place, the staff, the atmosphere and comfort, everything was top notch on a good day. But recently, i think they've gone through some sort of change, which has entirely switched the comfortable experience into some sort of rushed and very shallow restaurant experience, lowering the whole comfort the place used to provide. the low seating tables have been set for reservation only by large groups, meaning you cant sit as a couple there. I get expanding business by reservations, and get the rush of the peak hours, but their service has degraded the worst.

We were served and attended by Radhika, who has been the worst server that has ever attended us in out entire lifetimes. She kept intruding and fixing the table while we were talking and kept taking and putting everything according to "her" choice or preference even though we made it clear we wanted something removed, she persisted on it. That was still fine, she was still courteous and respectful, so we didn't mind that at all. But then while we were eating, our plates were more than half full and there was food in the bowls on the table, she came to us and asked us if she can provide the bill to us. That was very very rude, disrespectful and uncourteous to say the least, even if there's a rush during a peak hour, we've paid for our time to dine comfortably , we're not hogging the table. There were a lot of other people sitting at tables longer for us without eating, and she came to us to urge us out. Even that was still fine and we just shrugged it off as mere rudeness by radhika. But then, as we were nearing the end of the food on the table, we wanted to order more. Without us calling her, now radhika comes to us to urge us out so that she can seat other customers, this woman "tells"us to have the bill, and when we tell her that we're going to order more, she makes the rudest and most disrespectful face ever , and raised her eyebrows that conveyed "oh i have to take their order again, i cant seat other people, im so done"or something. That was so so disrespectful our appetite just died and left after paying.

Also, the food quality especially for momos has dropped quite a bit. Though still good, its dropped considerably. The food is good, but if you expect good service, it'll be provided very rarely to you here. Most of the staff is very very rude, apart from one or two exceptions.

We used to like lhas because of how comfortable and easy going the atmosphere was, and this just ruined the entire image and purpose the place had built until now, especially for its loyal diners. Even the manager barely managed to utter out something other than the word certainly, and i doubt any action was taken against radhika for such disrespectful behaviour towards patrons. She shouldn't be in the hospitality business...