While in Kathmandu — Restaurant in New York

My sister wanted to go to Nepali cuisine and I remembered my friend insisting time and again to go to While In Kathmandu. I, my sis n brothers-in-law were in surprise by the taste of nepali food. Being a Nepali and having tried countless Nepali dishes, we could still find the taste of While In Kathmandu unique. We ordered Malekhuko macha (fried fish), aloo sadheko(boiled potatoes seasoned fried), not a taco(taco style but nepali roti with chicken choila), pork momo(dumplings), chicken dumpling , chitwan ko tass(goat fried with sides), khana set(lentil pancakes with sides) and added Kathmandu poppers( jalapenos stuffed peppers) in the end. None of the dishes with similar to other even the sides which was very refreshing. Malekhuko macha came first which even though was deep fried, the inside was juicy. The little sauce on side was tasty enhancing flavor of fish. I have a theory chefs who put much though on sauce must have a better food too. Then came not a taco, the chicken was spiced to give a feeling of Mexican cuisines. What stole the limelight was the taco or should i say roti. Roti had never been to my liking but this roti proved me wrong. I could tell it was not made in simple way. And had that softness just making you want more bite. After first two dishes, it was already in our list of “new best Nepali place”. Aloo dish was spiced harmoniously not overwhelming the palate. The food where spices overpower the originality of main ingredients is not to my liking. In this dish, aloo was still aloo. We ordered chiura(beaten rice) to enjoy aloo more. Kathmandu poppers came next our last minute addition. Kathmandu poppers was okay but my sister enjoyed it a lot and we teased her saying her palate has become westernized. Pork and chicken dumplings came next which were juicy. I prepared pork while sister made chicken winner.the sauce used in pork dumpling was mild while chicken had tangy taste. Chitwan ko tass was good. I really enjoyed goat. Khana set was okay but the side dishes took me back to Nepal. The mango chutney took me back to my grandma’s kitchen in Nepal. While In Kathmandu should be in your list in you love food. If you enjoys a good setting, this place has cosy rustic vibe. In the end, we left with though what food should be in our next visit. All this for less than 100 ( iced tea....

Despite the good reviews online (including the NYTimes feature), we were quite disappointed with our experience here. We ordered vegetable momos, chicken momos, chicken choila, roti with egg, and the masala wings at the server's recommendation. Service was slow, we had no silverware or plates, and we saw a rat running around between the backyard and the restaurant three times while we were there. After waiting for an hour, we got the masala wings and had to ask for silverware and plates. 5 minutes later, the server brought 2 sets of silverware for our party of 3, so we had to wait another 5 minutes for the 3rd set of silverware and plates. The wings were dry and tasted suspiciously like they had gotten them from Crown Fried Chicken across the street and slathered masala sauce on them. We waited another 20 minutes for the chicken choila and roti, which came without the egg that we ordered, but the momos were no where to be seen. We had to remind the server what kind of momos we ordered and he said they would be out in 2 minutes. After another 30 minutes, we asked again, and he brought out pork dumplings and chicken dumplings, which wasn't what we ordered. At that point, we just wanted to eat, so we ate what we were given. The dumplings were cold, hard, and dry as if reheated from frozen and left to sit for a few hours and put in sauce. Definitely a far cry from the momos pictured in the Times article. The server brought out an extra serving of wings, stating that the chef was sorry for the mistake. However, the wings were also dry and this time just had hot sauce on them, not the masala sauce. We were charged for the orders they got wrong, including the egg that we never saw. To top it off, there was an enormous waterbug in the restroom. Overall, a very...

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I recently dined at While in Kathmandu and overall had a pretty solid experience. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars. The pricing is very reasonable, and the portions are generous, which is always a plus. It’s nice to find a spot that doesn’t skimp on serving sizes, especially in NYC.

The highlight of the meal was definitely the chicken momos—perfectly seasoned, juicy, and packed with flavor. You can tell they take their time to make them right. However, the goat skewers were a huge letdown. The meat was way too chewy, almost rubber-like, making it hard to enjoy. If they could improve the texture—either by using a better cut of meat or adjusting the cooking method—it would make a big difference.

Another downside is that this place is cash only. I get that some small restaurants prefer cash transactions, but it’s 2025, and most people don’t carry cash anymore. They do have an ATM in the back that only charges a $1 fee, which is better than most places, but that only helps if you happen to have your debit card on you. Accepting cards would make things so much more convenient for customers.

That said, the service here is excellent. The staff is incredibly friendly, and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, offering great recommendations. It’s clear they take pride in making guests feel welcome, which really adds to the experience.

Overall, I’d definitely come back, but I’d avoid the goat skewers unless they revamp them. The food, for the most part, is great, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. If they could tweak a few things—like the goat dish and the payment options—this place could easily be a...