Banchha Ghar
For those visiting Kathmandu, a trip to the restaurant Banchcha Ghar is a must. Housed in a building that is nearly 100 years old off the main Darbar Marg, Banchcha Ghar preserves the traditional Newari food in its authenticity. Newaris were the original inhabitants of the Kathmandu valley.
The must haves there are Sukuti (spicy, dried deer meat) and the wild boar dish(slices, served with an array of masalas/salt/mirchi), the preparation of which was one of the best that I ever had.
They seat you on the floor (on soft cushions) with low tables, with shoes off, obviously-on the top floor.
The highlight is a half hour cultural dance program performed by able dancers, who perform the auspicious welcome ‘tikka‘ and also serve you ‘Rakshi‘ – a home made rice-wine that is to be had in one gulp (like the Tequila shot) but served in miniature earthern ware dish. It’s an amazing concoction- it burns and invigorates! Commercial production is banned, and if the restaurants serve it, they do not charge for it. It is supposed to be purely home-made! It is 80% alcohol. You can light/burn it, and place your finger in the middle of the blue flame…I tried it- it was an unique experience! It is almost ‘spirit‘-ual !
Liquor is served, and the tables/cushions are placed comfortably all across the hall, with a strong but colorfully designed canvas roof; the girls (in tradiotional outfits) dance in the space in between…and mind you, it is very decent and sublime and absolutely customary! The dances encapsulate the colorful heritage of various backgrounds of Nepal – the Sherpas, the Gorkhas, and the Newaris etc.
The dinner is on the middle two floors on conventional tables and chairs, but served in old-fashioned thick copper plates and cups, and consists of some sumptuous local cuisines.
A spicy slice of history (on pure hearsay, no facts verified) – when the Muslims invaded the western part of the subcontinent, many Rajput ladies of that section fled to Nepal for refuge; they married the locals, but to maintain their superiority, they served their men with their foot.
I was speechless!
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Sunday, 22. April 2007 9:24
[...] 3. Banchha Ghar – A delightful old restaurant serving some lip-smackingly delicious (and exotic) snacks. Their cultural show, performed every evening by nubile Nepali girls, showcases the various dance forms prevalant in the country. They serve ‘Raakshi’, the homemade rice wine, in miniature ‘kulhads‘ as a welcome drink. I would have loved to make ‘raakshi‘ as a separate entry, but due to lack of space will include it here. [...]
Sunday, 23. November 2008 15:11
In Spicy slice of history whata you mentioned is a bit incomplete. And yes it is on pure hearsay. The Rajput ladies fled to Nepal with their servants and settled in the terai of Nepal.Later they marries their servants and some of them to the locals also. They still live in the farwestern terai and are called Rana tharus. Tharu is one of the indiginous groups. These Rana tharus are suppossed to be more sophisticated among them.The women serve food to their husband and move the plate with they feet but nowdays touch the plate with their toes, they donot clean their husband’s plates. [The position of the women is upper then that of men.] AND SUCH PRATICE IS ONLY IN RANA THARUS NOT IN OTHERS
Sunday, 23. November 2008 16:28
Hey Alok welcome to the blog and thanks for filling in the full details.
Are you from Nepal?
Hope you enjoy reading other posts on the blog esp the ones on Kathmandu and Nepal