Royal Nepal Restaurant — Restaurant in Alexandria

My wife and I had a very lovely dinner here last night. We are staying at a vacation rental nearby while some work is done on our home, and this restaurant looked intriguing. There is plenty of off street parking next to the restaurant. Inside is nicely decorated, with several booths and lots of tables. We were seated at a booth, which was very comfortable. I ordered a Kingfisher beer, which came in an icy cold glass. My wife ordered a red wine, she said it was very good. They have a full bar, which we didn't take advantage of. For appetizers, we got the crispy okra and the chicken sekuwa. The okra was perfect, nicely salted, abs the onion and tomato garnish did not affectv the crispy texture. I could eat that every day. The chicken sekuwa was also delicious. The chicken was very tender and flavorful, served with a spicy hot sauce on the side and a really nice green salad with s mustardy vinaigrette. The chef (and I assume owner) came by to warn us about the sauce being spicy and to offer a milder version, but we love spicy. He brought us more to accompany our entree. For that we ordered the Ghar Ko Thali set, a kind of tasting platter. It came with lentils, a bean dish (reminded me of blackeyed peas), spinach, a choice of meat/vegetable entree, traditional dessert, and rice (for meat eaters the rice is topped with a sunny side up egg. Vegetarian gets sliced avocado). The rice was garnished with jicama, cucumber, carrots, and a small green chili. Everything was really good. My wife got the cauliflower option for her entree portion. I requested a chicken curry. This is usually a meat curry, but I prefer chicken and they made the accommodation. Both of these were so good, with a really nice balance of seasoning. I did add the hot sauce because i like really spicy food and they had already brought it out, but it was seasoned well and did not really need it. The syst star of that portion of the meal for me was the lentils. They were perfect. I am sad we do not live close by, i would come here...

Like many nights, I was searching the area (on Yelp, of course) for a late-night meal and stumbled upon Royal Nepal. I've had Nepali food only once a few years ago out in Baltimore and have since fallen in love with the cuisine. So I just had to try this place out since it's much closer to my house. Having opened only 6 short months ago, this neighborhood newbie greeted my friend and me with a warm welcome. We received some great menu recommendations from the staff to begin our culinary journey.

Buffalo Chili: Crispy buffalo meat tossed in house-made spicy chili garlic sauce Goat Momo: House-made, pan-seared Nepalese dumplings served over fresh tomato sauce Palak Chaat: Crispy spinach and potatoes drizzled in a house-made yogurt sauce Classic Royal Nepali Thali (Platter): White Basmati Rice, Baby Spinach, Sautéed mushroom, Lamb curry, Aaloo Tama Bodi, Himalayan house made Pickle, fresh chili, onion, lemon. Rasmalai: A refreshing cheesecake-like dessert with saffron, cardamom, and cracked pistachios

The meal was truly fit for royalty. The bold flavors and aromatic spices of every dish will certainly make you wish you were in Nepal and not in the daily grind of the city. If you've ever been to Nepal, I'm sure this place will transport you back there to relive gastronomic adventures.

Overall, the food and service are fantastic. There is great attention to detail from decor to the hospitality. I had a great conversation with one of the owners about the history of the restaurant and how his business partners came together to open this neighborhood gem. Their level of passion and dedication to ensure every patron has a great experience...

I'd lived a few blocks away for many years and only just now tried this neighborhood gem. It's pretty unassuming from the outside, but the inside was clean and lovely. The food was perfectly seasoned and flavorful, evoking spices and herbs familiar to anyone who enjoys Indian food (for those who want a more familiar palate).

My coworker recommended the yak dumplings (momocha), which was indeed delicious. The cardamom was strong in the meat filling, and the sauce was so delicious that I used it over my rice entree later. I also ordered the Chataamari, a Nepalese crepe, and it was phenomenal, with its crispy exterior and soft pillowy interior, slathered in sauce and chickpeas. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

I picked out the fish curry, which our waiter warned had a lot of bones in it. If you're used to eating whole fish and understand how the skeletal structure of a fish is organized, it's fine. It was deliciously warm and comforting and full of herbs and spices. If I recall correctly, our waiter allowed me to choose the spice level, so there is a little bit of customization. My coworker ordered the lamb curry and seemed to enjoy it as well. I don't recall trying it, although given my delight at everything I've tried, I don't doubt it was delicious.

Our waiter kept our glasses filled with water and was really attentive; there weren't that many people there for lunch on a Wednesday. It was a quiet, amazing place that I hope to return to again sometime soon to explore more...