MITHO Thakali and Himalayan Kitchen — Restaurant in Uttarakhand

The Owner, a resident of Dehradun and a food entrepreneur, opening his new restaurant Mitho Thakali is his bid to give the people of Uttarakhand, tourists or locals, the “experience of authentic Nepali food”.

Although it opened this year in Old Rajpur, the idea to open such a restaurant first came to him back in 2012, during a visit to Nepal.

Being a half-Gorkha and half-Garhwali Rajput, who works as a government contractor, understood both cultures pretty well. “We have relatives in Nepal and I have always been interested in exploring the region’s food and culture. I visit it to explore a variety of food and spices almost every second month,” he says.

Beyond sharing the region’s food and culture, Mitho Thakali is also an ode to owner's mother, who is Gorkha. “My mother, a social worker, always had confidence in me that I could do this. So, I saved money and laid the foundation of Mitho Thakali by first opening a small cafe – Purkul – by the name of my village in Dehradun, where I was born and brought up,” he recalls.

At the restaurant, hungry visitors will be treated to a variety of delights — from traditional thakali platters to jhol momos and thukpa.

The two-storey restaurant with a seating capacity of nearly 100, opens into a large courtyard, with workers mostly from West Bengal’s Siliguri and Darjeeling wearing dhaka topi (hat) attending to diners serving authentic hot Nepali cuisine cooked by two Nepali chefs on bronze utensils.

The decorative metal items are put at the corners of the brick walls. While you savour an authentic Nepali platter, the folk songs of the neighbouring country playing in the background are a delight.

Mitho Thakali claims to be Uttarakhand’s first such Nepali restaurant.

“I wanted to give people the experience of an authentic Nepali restaurant in Uttarakhand, not only in terms of food but also its ambience. From decoratives, pillars (showcasing Newari patterns), stone lines, utensils, and crockery to chefs and spices, I have sourced everything from Nepal. There is no such Thakali restaurant in the state,”

The most loved street food in India — momos and chow mein — are widely savoured in the country. But these recipes have their roots in Nepal, with slightly different methods of preparations and herbs, and spices used.

Nepali food is similar to pahadi (Himalayan) food. But the herbs and spices used in Nepal are more organic. Spices and vegetables such as timur (Szechuan pepper), gundruk (pickled green-leafy vegetables, also regarded as the national dish of Nepal) make the food authentic. Whenever I’d go to Nepal, I’d ravish it. I wanted to give that experience to the people who have not been to Nepal,”

He asserts that there’s more to Nepali cuisine than just momos and chow mein. The restaurant offers ‘Thakali Khana’ – an authentic Nepali platter comprising rice, dal, pickles, delicacies made with buckwheat, Nepali curries and a dollop of ghee.

From jhol momos (veg momos in spicy Nepali sauce), thukpa, wai wai sadeko (spicy wai wai noodles), gundruk sadeko (spicy fermented radish leaves), chicken sekuwa with flat rice (grilled chicken), and Tibetan herbal tea, the restaurant offers up to 20 food varieties under Rs 450.

The unlimited rice thalis, dhero thalis, and phaapar roti (buckwheat flat-bread) are served with curry, vegetables, dal, papad, salad, along with three authentic Nepali pickles.

“The food is pretty affordable. And we have up to 125 diners daily on a weekday and up to 250 on weekends. This is when we have not hosted a grand opening or done any advertisement. We expect to double this number after the grand opening. Recently, I bought high-altitude coffee beans from Nepal and am planning to set up a barista. Once the barista is ready, we will officially open it. Thereafter, we will be expanding the menu with more authentic...

Metho Thakali Restaurant Review

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Metho Thakali Restaurant, and it was an unforgettable experience. The highlight of our meal was the Jhol Momo, Unlimited Veg Rice Thali, Unlimited Veg Phaphad Roti, and the delightful Rice Pudding for dessert.

Jhol Momo: The Jhol Momo was nothing short of spectacular. The momos were perfectly steamed, with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The jhol, a rich and flavorful broth, complemented the momos beautifully, adding a spicy and tangy kick that elevated the dish to new heights. It was a perfect blend of flavors and textures.

Unlimited Veg Rice Thali: The Unlimited Veg Rice Thali was a feast for the senses. Each component of the thali was meticulously prepared and bursting with authentic flavors. The variety of curries, lentils, vegetables, and pickles was impressive, offering a delightful mix of tastes and aromas. The rice was fluffy and aromatic, tying everything together wonderfully. The fact that it was unlimited meant that we could savor as much of these delicious dishes as we wanted.

Unlimited Veg Phaphad Roti: The Unlimited Veg Phaphad Roti was another standout. The rotis were freshly made, soft, and perfectly cooked. They were an excellent accompaniment to the various dishes in the thali, providing a satisfying crunch with every bite. The unlimited aspect of this dish ensured that we could enjoy as many rotis as we desired, making the meal even more fulfilling.

Rice Pudding: To conclude our meal, we indulged in the Rice Pudding, which was a perfect end to our dining experience. The pudding was creamy and sweet, with just the right amount of cardamom and saffron to enhance its flavor. The texture was smooth and comforting, making it a delightful dessert that left us feeling satisfied and content.

Overall, Metho Thakali Restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience with its authentic and flavorful dishes. The Jhol Momo, Unlimited Veg Rice Thali, Unlimited Veg Phaphad Roti, and Rice Pudding were all outstanding, and the unlimited portions made it a truly satisfying meal. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to enjoy delicious...

Like most places these days, this too is hyped. It is located in Rajpur area, opposite cafe Marigold. The interior of the place has tried to preserve the traditional structure of the place. There is a courtyard with seating arrangement on three sides and seating arrangement upstairs, to sit upstairs one has to take off footwear. The place is owned by four partners and one of them is Uttarakhandi. As was told by people at the place, this is a Delhi branch. Now let's talk about the food..... The menu is limited with three types of thalis- one with rice, other with buckwheat roti and other with something similar to upma. The first place in doon serves Jhol chicken momo but to my utter disappointment, it was terrible. The dish had coin size momos dipped in extremely sour thick soup. It was so sour that I had to waste it. Definitely have had much more flavourful jhol momos elsewhere. The staple chutney served with momo was also not fresh. All dishes turned cold by the time they reached our table, perhaps it was too cold that food turned cold even though our table was near the preparation area. The thali consisted of rice, chicken, dal, achar, papad, saag, baigan bharta and chutney. The rice was the most delicious food item on the plate. The dal was extremely watery and the second most delicious item. The papad was nice too. The chicken was sour, it was tomato based. The baigan bharta had no taste just oil. The basic chutney served with Nepali food was so bad. The chutney was more like a Mexican salsa dip. Everything had more of a sour flavour. Kheer was served at the end, the kheer was cold firni garnished with cashew. A lot of places give you unlimited filling of dal and other things but here everything was chargeable. The chicken tsoila(choila) was like stir fried dried chilly chicken, another sour dish. This dish was served with flat rice or chivda. Really had high hopes from this place. The staff was soft and helpful. The Nepali cuisine could have been represented...