Tim Hughes enjoys a taste of the food of Gurkhas and sherpas at a Nepalese restaurant

There was a time when going for a curry meant going for an Indian or, to be more precise, a Bangledeshi.

For diners in Oxford these days, though, it could equally involve going for a Nepali.

Thanks to our thriving and hard working Nepalese community, we are well served in Oxford with restaurants serving the delicious cuisine of this mountain nation, with its fusion of flavours and styles influenced by its giant neighbours India and Tibet.

And of all our Himalayan boltholes, one reigns supreme.

From the outside, Yeti looks unremarkable – another cosy eaterie at the top end of Cowley Road. But this intimate spot, run by husband and wife team Prem and Kabita, feels less like a restaurant than the family’s front room. And that is a very good thing indeed.

Diners are treated like old friends (which, given that first-time visitors inevitably become regulars, they may well be), and the couple drift around making small talk and exchanging jolly banter.

The décor, too, is homely. Scenes of snowy peaks from Prem and Kabita’s native Annapurna region and the temples of Kathmandu adorn the walls, and tables are spaciously laid out.

Food looks and tastes homemade, individually prepared from the freshest ingredients, with no MSG or colouring, and authentically Nepalese.

Dishes are served on proper plates, rather than those standard curry house stainless steel dishes, again giving it the feel of calling in at a friend’s for dinner.

And what food! If your experience of Nepalese cuisine is just a twist on Indian food, or of endless servings of the national dish, dahl bhat, you are in for a treat.

Starting with popaddoms with homemade achar (pickles) and yoghurt, we moved on to what is arguably Yeti’s trademark dish: momo (£3.95). These little tender steamed dumplings come stuffed with either veg, chicken or lamb, mixed with herbs and spices and served with a tangy chilli dipping sauce. Light but packing a powerful flavour punch they are little dollops of heaven and alone worth a visit. The sauce, meanwhile, should be available on the NHS as healthy alternative to Prozac. It is that good.

Of course man can not live on momos alone, so we also went for onion pakora (£3.45), and – more interestingly – Prem’s recommendation of a khasi chhoyala (£3.95) – tender pieces of lamb mixed with a tangy dry sauce of spring onions, mustard oil, lemon juice and mint.

So good was it, and so quickly was it inhaled, that we hastily ordered a second – which lasted all of 30 seconds – the pattern scraped from the plate as every last atom was fought over and devoured.

Looking to widen our repertoire we ditched the usual faves and asked for chef Raj Shrestha’s personal picks, ending up with some impressive discoveries, like masu gedagudi (£8.95) – more spicy lamb, cooked with ginger, garlic and coriander and firm beans – the beans giving the whole an interesting texture and enjoyable bite.

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There was also Swadilo chicken (£7.95) a milder dish of chicken tikka in a smooth, but rich tomato, coriander, ginger and garlic sauce, and Nariwal chicken which had more of a tropical tang, with its sweet coconut and delicate hint of mustard.

This being Nepalese, dinner wouldn’t be complete without dhal – though in this case a rato dhal (£3.75), a meal in itself with red lentils cooked in a warming sauce of fresh ginger and garlic.

Instead of the standard bhat (boiled rice) though, we pushed the boat out with saag (spinach) rice (£2.95) – the delicate flavour of the leaf permeating the fluffy grains.

The whole thing was washed down, true Nepali style with bottles of Khukuri beer (£4.50).

The name refers to the distinctive knife wielded by Nepal’s famously hardy Gurkhas. And with food like this to fuel them, no wonder they are among the most respected fighting force on earth.

Here’s to the food of heroes. I’m off for another momo!

Yeti Nepalese
237 Cowley Road
Oxford
OX4 1XG
01865 295959