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Tucked away in Patan, approximately a three-minute walk from the durbar square, Sanchyan Ramen Restaurant is a small and cozy place serving Japanese cuisine. Sanjay Maharjan opened the restaurant in 2018 after having lived and worked in Japan for a decade.  The restaurant has five different seating areas with a counter at the left end, with an open kitchen behind that. The counter is lined with stools and you can sit there too if you want to enjoy the view of the place as you eat. The staff are friendly and welcoming. Although small, the place has a really comforting vibe. There is a small paper mache lamp with Japanese writings on it that casts a warm glow. The food matches the wonderful ambience. One of their bestsellers is Sanchyan ramen. It comes with three pieces of pork and a boiled egg. The soup has a distinct flavor and the noodles are thin and perfectly cooked. It’s a really good bowl of ramen and we highly recommend it. Besides ramen, they also have a good variety of sushi. We would like to suggest you try California rolls which has avocados with veggies as the filling. You might not like avocados, but trust us when we say you might like this roll. The texture is just right. You won’t even taste the avocados but somehow it makes the filling an absolute delight. For drinks, there are some pretty neat Japanese alcohol options. If you would rather have a non-alcoholic beverage, try their homemade plum soda or the homemade ginger ale. Both are refreshing and taste great. The plum soda, however, is only available during summer, which is the season for plums. But the ginger ale is available all year round. What’s so good about these drinks is that they are healthy, and not something that’s found everywhere. There are also soft drinks and cocktails on the menu if you’d like to stick to your regular drinks.  After Dashain, you won’t have to go all the way to Patan to try their delicious food. They are all set to open a branch at Durbar Marg, Kathmandu. Their specials:

• Sanchyan ramen
• California rolls 
• Homemade plum soda

We came across Burger Shack when we were on a burger hunt in Kathmandu. We wanted to find out where we could get some really good burgers. We visited a lot of places and liked many of them but Burger Shack blew our minds. This is the place we will be returning to when we want burgers from now on. It has three outlets—in Kamaladi, Sanepa, and Jawalakhel. The burgers taste the same in all three places. We were quite impressed with the consistency. But we prefer the one in Kamaladi as it has a bigger seating area than the other outlets.   The burgers here are to die for. One of their bestsellers is the Baconiser. It’s basically crispy bacon in a bun but there are other fillings too that nicely balance out the flavors. The fillings ooze out as you bite into it but the burger is worth the mess you make. For neat freaks, they have the Hissi Mini, a set of four mini-burgers. These are easier to eat because of their comparatively smaller size and you don’t make a mess either. But the taste is the same as their regular burgers. We think these are fun to eat on the go.   If you don’t want to start with burgers and would rather ease into the meal, then there are plenty of options for that too. Burger Shack has a nice variety of starters. We recommend the Bacon Cheese Fries. It’s exactly what the name suggests: bacon, cheese, and fries. It’s delightful and just right for two people to share.   To wash down the scrumptious meal, we suggest you opt for something refreshing rather than a milkshake. A milkshake burger combination feels a little too heavy. Whatever you choose to do, you won’t be disappointed with the place. Their specials

• Baconiser
• Bacon Cheese Fries
• Hissi Mini

It’s difficult to say no to biryani. But we have all been disappointed when we have been served a plate full of rice and chicken in the name of biryani. ‘Biryani Moments’ is different. Located in a secluded area at Shankhamul, Kathmandu, it’s one of the many brands under Future Foods, a cloud kitchen. Besides Biryani Moments, there’s Biggies Burgers & Fries and Pie Pickers Pizza that are equally good. The biryani they serve is perhaps one of the best you can find in Kathmandu. It’s neither dry, nor soggy. It’s neither spicy, nor bland. A single serving comes with two chicken-leg pieces, which are tender with perfectly balanced flavors. You will definitely go back for more as well as recommend it to your friends. The burger here is delicious as the patty is juicy and cooked just right. But burger lovers will attest that it’s the bread bit that makes or breaks the burger. The bun they use is made from scratch and they have their own special recipe. The same goes for the pizza as well. The thin-crust pizza was surprisingly good for one that was made in the microwave.  There is another quite peculiar dish that has just been launched. It’s called ‘Saptarangi Momo’ and there are seven pieces in one plate. The name comes from the fact that they have used seven colors to make the momo wraps. Don’t be alarmed as they haven’t used any artificial coloring. The chef mixes organic food materials like spinach, beetroot, turmeric, etc. to create the desired colors that are used. It not only tastes good but makes for an Instagram-worthy photo as well. The best part about Future Foods is that it’s open 24/7 and their delivery service also operates round the clock. So, the next time you are hungry and find yourself trying to decide between leftovers or instant noodles, we suggest you give Future Foods a try. Specials:

• Chicken Hyderabad Lazeej Dum Biryani
• Classic Chicken Burger
• Saptarangi Momo

If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, you might always be on the lookout for different places to eat. There are, after all, only so many options. We would like to recommend Places Restaurant. Conveniently located in central Thamel, it has quite a wide variety of dishes. Best, they also serve gluten-free food. Dim, warm lights with soft music playing in the background create a serene, pleasant atmosphere. You will feel instantly relaxed. They have also dedicated two entire walls to display and auction art by contemporary Nepali artists. The seating area is varied too, with both floor and cabaret style arrangements. Food-wise, Places Restaurant won’t disappoint. Popcorn Chili, which is basically popcorn fried in Chinese kung pao sauce, was a delight. We had never tasted anything like it. The Mexican quesadilla, a tortilla with cheese, corn, and other fillings, that is served with salsa and sour cream is crispy and soft at the same time. It hits all the right taste buds. The salsa could have been slightly better but when everything else was near-perfect, we don’t want to complain. You can wash your meal down with a Peach Iced Tea or Fresh Mint Lemonade. Both are equally good. We would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. They also have an array of probiotic drinks that you might want to try. Specials: Popcorn Chilly Mexican Quesadilla Padthai Noodles Opening hours: 8:00am - 11:00pm Location: Thamel Meal for two: Rs 1,500 Online/Card Payment: Accepted Reservations: 01-5914599 Parking Space: Yes