Sour, sweet, bitter, pungent – all must be tasted…“N”

Nepalese in Surry Hills

N is for Nepalese

The Nepalese Kitchen, 481 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Organised by KEIRA on Tuesday night, April 2010

9 Noshers

The Originals [minus Dave who is in Italia], Nat, Ali, my friend, Cara, from Melbourne [last featured in “B” dinner] and Sez’s friend, Toolay [from “M” dinner].

Special occasion was Adrian’s last Alpha Dinner! Though, due to the epic volcanic explosion in Iceland, he could cameo in “O” as he waits for the ashy sky in London to clear [a vast improvement on their usual weather].

Nourishment

I’ll tell you what is not nourishing but more nauseating – off lassi! Off, sour, mango lassi. “Sour, sweet, bitter, pungent – all must be tasted” is a Chinese proverb but also rings true for our Nepalese dining.

Five of us ordered mango lassis and thought it tasted “funky”, “fermented” and “bubbly”. I, of course, was nominated to say something to the waitress and assure everyone they would not spit in our food by speaking up that what they served us was actually unpalatable.

“It was made fresh today,” the waitress responded.

“Made fresh today with last week’s milk,” Alanna dryly commented.

The restaurant kindly did not charge us for the lassis, though offered us one fresh one, which tasted how a lassi should taste – not sour. Though our stomachs had officially turned from the milky substance we declined to order any more.

We ordered our cheapest banquet yet – $25pp for A LOT of food. Stand outs include goat curry, eggplant, lamb, dips, and semolina dessert pudding.

Goat curry with dhal

Yum!

Mr Semolina, Mr Bb Semolina

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Notability

8/10

The food was pretty awesome, the value was great, the staff were friendly, especially given the lassi incident and we had our own forgotten private room at the top of the stairs, and it had a good ambience. I like the location of Surry Hills and the vibe even on a Tuesday night.

I kept embarassingly referring to Toolay as Toula, and kept yelling out her name at every chance I got. “Toula, do you like your lassi?”, “Toula, would you like me to return your lassi?”, “Toula, I can’t believe you are ordering another lassi!” It was only when I said, “Toula, would you like a bit of my dessert?” [at the end of the night!] that the table all cracked up, and informed me I was screaming out the wrong name.

“Why didn’t you tell me discreetly at the start of the night?”

“We didn’t want to embarrass you.”

Hmm…thanks, friends!

After party antics

Offering suggestions on what Alanna should dress up for a “P” themed party, with our voices becoming louder as the suggestions became lewder.

Pre dinner drinks at the Clock.

Cara and Nat accompanying me to buy a complete impulse buy of a digital camera.

Dedicated to Adrian! Love you and miss you, my best friend! I do hope you make it to “O” and to Europe!

Bye, bye, baby, bye, bye!