Restaurant Tusa — Restaurant in Bhaktapur Municipality

I had a chance to visit Tusa yesterday, and was really impressed with the thoughtfulness, dedication, and creative approach that has gone into creating a culinary experience that, I think, marks the beginning of taking Nepali cuisine and culinary experience to new heights.

As a Nepali, I have always thought of our food as being more functional – fairly straightforward and rooted in practicality. There haven't been too many forays into the idea of an elevated “fine dining” experience. Even some of the more popular culinary experiences in Kathmandu are merely “packaging” existing dishes: Dwarika’s Krishnarpan meal, for example, might immerse you in Nepali culture, but there is nothing particularly inventive about what they serve, aside from the hefty price tag they attach to it.

Tusa, on the other hand, is a different experience. They take traditional elements and reimagine them into something very creative. Take the Sisnu (stinging nettle?) cake for example. Typically, the leaves of this plant are used in simple, everyday recipes, but at Tusa, they're dehydrated, powdered, and transformed into the key component of a pastry, nicely paired with cream and (I believe) mulberry.

Another highlight is their modern take on Newari Bara. Traditionally a simple (but delicious) lentil cake, Tusa’s version is a small, refined plate complemented by freshly grated yak cheese. The first bite of this dish transports you to a traditional Newari khaja ghar (think Honacha), while simultaneously showcasing the inventive possibilities of Bara. You get the idea.

The experience at Tusa yesterday was perfect evidence that the boundaries of Nepali culinary culture/experience are being pushed further. Alongside other innovators like Raithane, Tusa is redefining what Nepali cuisine can be.

Tusa is really a must-visit for those of you looking to experience the flavors of Nepal in a new &...

Went to Tusa Dining after hearing a lot of hype and reading glowing reviews. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to expectations. It took over 2 hours to finish a 7-course meal, and we left feeling hungrier than when we arrived.

While the presentation of some of the dishes were impressive and a couple of dishes tasted good (sisno three-layered cake and gudpaak), the portions were tiny and lacked any carbs or anything remotely filling. The main course, a river fish (called Buhari?), was especially disappointing — tiny and very bland with a spoonful of flavorless cauliflower purees. I am not sure how this tells a story of Nepal's rich heritage and flavors as they have stated on their website.

I was very confused with the whole experience and messaged them on WhatsApp to ask about the no-carb menu (well except for a super tiny bread in the beginning) and never got a response (even after two days). For a place marketing itself as fine dining and charging Rs 5000+ per person, both the food and customer service were a letdown....

Tusa is an exception. The first ingrediant based restaurant in Nepal.

It is located at Basuki Ghar, in Bhaktapur, near Nag Pokhari, Bhaktapur. While many restaurant work on their recipes, the restaurant, one of its kind, opened with the vision to explore the Nepali ingredients, which is a complete adventure for both you and the chefs who have opened it.

Its been just two months since they had a soft opening. We got lucky that we got to go this place on the last day before they went out foraging. Foraging and exploring one part of Nepal at a time to understand, explore, comprehend, imagine, design and redesign the experience that you will have.

When you go there, don't expect the food, expect an imagination of what Nepali ingrediant can be. Relive Nepal as they take you through the journey of their imagination of what it can be.

There is a caveat, you might not like the food or the experience, and that is okie. However, you are not eating the food, you are living the journey through the courses of meals that you eat.

Enjoy...