I never thought I would be writing about a children’s playground. But recently I found myself taking a couple of kids along to ‘By the Way Organic Garden with Kids Venue’ on the recommendation of a friend. Those of you who have kids will know that playgrounds in Kathmandu are few and far between. I’ve been to Alice Restaurant in Naxal several times as they have a nice little play area for children. But the problem with Alice is it’s a victim of its own success. It can be impossible to get a table there on weekends and holidays!

 

So I was interested to find out more about By the Way Organic Garden with Kids Venue (By the Way, for short). We arrived on New Year’s Day around 1pm and the place was ours alone. A large outdoor space as well as an almost as large indoor space dedicated to kids. Swings, slides, various things to climb on, climb over, crawl through, hide inside or jump off were on offer in a rainbow of colours. “WOW” said one child. “Wow” said I. “Wow” mimicked the taxi driver. Within the next half hour two other families arrived giving the children new friends to interact with. There seemed a camaraderie between the adults—like we were sharing a little-known secret.

 

Inside, apart from the play area, there are two areas set up for adults. One is more café style, with nice seating, and the other more canteen style. If you can drag the children away from the play apparatus to eat! But I have to say, the menu did not live up to the ‘organic garden’ name. The usual momos, chicken wings, pizza and French fries were on offer. Perfect for children of course. But we three (bideshi) adults wanted a good cappuccino and something a little less oily. This inspired me to find out more. And give some constructive feedback!

 

 With no management on site that day, I later contacted one of the team of partners, Shanta Dev Duwadi. The waiter had already told me that the current management was new, and I found out that the restaurant has been running only a few months. When I asked Duwadi about the reason behind By the Way, it was much as I expected. “We grew up in a Kathmandu with green spaces but today there is nowhere for children to play. There are no public parks and very few homes have gardens. We wanted to create somewhere safe and sunny for children.”

 

Although the playground had been running for some time, the restaurant is a new venture by the current management. Now for some feedback! Perfect as the menu was for the kids (momos and French fries are pretty much what they want regardless), us adults would have enjoyed something healthier. The main draw is, 100 percent, the playground and facilities for the kids. But the addition of just one coffee machine would make all the difference to me.

 

 Duwadi mentioned that they have agriculture land in the valley and they plan to introduce their own, homegrown vegetables to the menu in due course. Not quite organic, but without chemical pesticides.

 

 

 It was also mentioned that the masala and spices used in the kitchen are freshly made, not shop bought. Home grown vegetables and fresh spices on the menu and the planned small vegetable market is something to look forward to. Meantime, I noticed a BBQ counter and was told this is only available on pre-booking for private parties. And with plenty of parking space it’s the ideal place for kids’ parties. Definitely!

 

 Situated at Maharajgunj and open from 9am till 7pm, By the Way charges Rs 150 per hour per child. Which I feel is worth the money. And yes, we will be back on a regular basis! For further information check out their Facebook page or call 01-4371030.