Tim Hughes swaps the curry for a Nepalese feast - and finds bold flavours with a homecooked charm very addictive

THE hardy mountain folk of the Himalaya have long told of a shaggy ‘wild man of the snows’ who inhabits the inhospitable peaks.

My friend Ed, a wild-eyed, Harley Davidson rider with an impressive crop of facial hair, commands a similar effect and was therefore the perfect companion to join me at a restaurant named in honour of this mythical beast – Yeti.

Nepalese food is very hip right now and a clutch of restaurants serving the cuisine of the Himalayan nation have sprung up in East Oxford. Of these Yeti is certainly the most famous – a favourite on TripAdvisor and a winner in the Asian food category at last week’s Oxfordshire Restaurant of the Year awards.

The first thing that struck us, on this midweek trip, was the welcome. We were greeted as old friends, shown to our table by Kabita, who opened the restaurant with her husband Prem two years ago.

The menu contained a few Indian standards, but they were the joined by many more intriguing and unfamiliar concoctions. Eager to savour the flavours of Kathmandu, rather than Cowley, we left the ordering to Kabita, who talked us through her own favourites and guided us in the direction of her own specialties.

“You must start with momo!” she insisted, referring to the steamed stuffed dumplings which are a favourite of Himalayan folk and passing trekkers. She was right. Little mounds of loveliness, we wolfed down a selection of vegetable and lamb-filled parcels, which we dipped into homemade achaar chutney. At Kabita’s suggestion we also tucked into a plate of khasi chhoyala, a dish of shredded lamb mixed with spring onions, lemon juice, mustard oil and mint, and chicken chokta – a tikka-like dish of marinated meat cooked in a clay oven. We then opted for Prem’s signature Timur chicken (a wonderfully savoury dish laced with mustard and black pepper), khasi jhol (lamb marinated in cumin and coriander paste), and, best of all, a fiery tilapia jhol – a freshwater fish cooked with ginger, garlic and a generous handful of chilli. It was delicious – though required a round of Ghurkha beers to temper the heat.

Finally, we shared a plate of ‘bodi, tama, aloo’ – an unusual mixture of black eyed beans, bamboo shoots and potato, prepared with ginger, garlic and Himalayan herbs.

The portions were not huge, but ample, with an emphasis on quality over quantity. We were also struck by the crunch and zing of the produce and the lack of additives, colouring and cloying sauces.

The food was fine and delicately cooked, the ingredients fresh and the flavours bold with a wholesome, homecooked charm which matched the homely surroundings.

I’ve found my new favourite restaurant. In fact, I’ve already been back; desperate for another momo moment!

  • Momos start at £3 a portion, with other starters about £3.50. Main courses are £8-9 (£6 for vegetarian). Sides are about £3
  • Yeti, 237 Cowley Road, Oxford. Call 01865 295959. yetinepalese.co.ukhttp://www.yetinepalese.co.uk