LLAMASODA

(Audio version starring my ugly voice available here!)

With a peaceful, relaxing ambiance that offers a much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, Dechenling specializes in Tibetan, Bhutanese, and Indian cuisine and is located in Thamel, near the Garden of Dreams.

A longtime family favorite of ours, Dechenling has always been our go-to restaurant for Tibetan food. Alongside my mom’s ting momos, it greatly deepened my appreciation for the cuisine over the years.

I came here literally a day after landing in Kathmandu, as I was dying (not an exaggeration, I really was) from the lack of Tibetan food in the small German city where I live. As soon as we finished shopping and had a sip or two at Himalayan Java in Durbar Marg, we headed straight to the restaurant and began ordering.

I started with the Lemon Iced Tea (Rs. 350), which was a tad too warm than what I preferred, and the sweet syrup overpowered the lemon, so the beverage kind of felt more like sweet tea instead. It would’ve been better if the syrup came in a separate jug so the sweetness could be adjusted according to the person’s taste.

For the appetizer, we opted for the Gyuma (Rs. 520), also known as Tibetan blood sausage. The filling was crispy, and the smoky flavors from the spices made this quite a lovely dish.

We found the Gyuma pretty filling for an appetizer, and I know you’ll feel the same, so just do what we did — have some and take the rest home!

We then ordered the Potato Phing Sha (Rs. 860), a simple curry consisting of phing (Tibetan glass noodles), pork (there are other meat options available as well), and of course, potatoes that gave off a lovely earthy aroma as soon as it was brought to our table.

Disappointingly, I thought the curry was too mild for my liking and that the pork felt like a last-minute addition to the dish as neither the spices nor the curry flavors were soaked into the meat.

We had also asked for a plate of Ting Momos (Rs. 300, a bit too much for some steamed dough, in my opinion), which are not exactly like your regular momos, but more like South Asian roti or puri, which isn’t eaten on its own (not that you can’t) and is served alongside some curry or gravy to soak up the flavors. It was light, springy, and a great pairing with the Potato Phing Sha, especially after I added some much-needed spicy sauce to the curry.

The warm, comforting Hot Lemon with Honey (Rs. 225), a family favorite during the cold winters, came afterward at the perfect time, just when it was about to get a little chilly, alongside the Erma Dhatsi (Rs. 880).

Compared to what I had in mind, the Erma Dhatsi (meaning “Chili” and “Cheese” in Bhutanese, respectively) looked more like a cream of mushroom soup or a similar-looking Western dish, aside from the huge green chilies casually lying about. Don’t let that intimidate you, though, because the Erma Dhatsi (or at least Dechenling’s version) wasn’t spicy at all. The spices or ingredients in the Bhutanese dish were completely overshadowed by the cheese, leading to a bland and one-note flavor. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed with the Erma Dhatsi, especially after seeing how many people were raving about it online.

An unsatisfactory end to the meal aside, Dechenling was and is still a joy (heh) to visit. I recommend it to everyone, especially tourists who are interested in Tibetan and Bhutanese cuisine, as the restaurant does a pretty good job of being accessible yet still remaining authentic with the recipes (well, aside from the Erma Dhatsi, I guess).

Let me know if you went to Dechenling and if you tried any of the items mentioned in this article!

(This article was originally written on the 5th of November, 2021)

Dechenling: Garden of Joy

• 📍 Keshar Mahal Marg, Kathmandu 44600 (केशर महल मार्ग, काठमाडौँ 44600)
• 🕘 10:30AM-9:30PM every day (make sure to check availability during religious holidays)
• ☎️ +977014512158
• 🌐 Facebook, Instagram

[20/02/2023: Minor grammatical adjustments made + I finally gave in to Grammarly Pro©]