A new breakfast place in Lalitpur scores high on the food and its idea of sourcing the produce from small farms.
The Yellow House, a new-ish Bed & Breakfast in Sanepa has been made popular by photo.circle’s photo presentations and the terrific Hari Maharjan plays beautiful jazz here on Sundays. Shaded by large trees and a small lawn, the settings are just right for music and art. But these are on the side; the star attraction here is chef Paul Aitchison’s incredible breakfast menu.
Mr Aitchison earned credibility locally by sending away happy frequenters at the Swotha Café in Patan’s Swotha Tole where the menu was small but delightful. For The Yellow House, it’s all about the breakfast though. They open for breakfast at 7 and go on till 1pm, so that both the early and the late bird get the worm.
Start with the crepes – the one I had was soft and disappeared in my mouth immediately.
The fresh strawberry topping goes perfectly with it, its wholesome taste reminded me of eating at a farmhouse and not in the city. Sipping on some piping hot tea, I searched for options on the menu – there were plenty. NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati, the Managing Director had plenty of recommendations to make. At her suggestion I tried out the rosemary flavor cheese, soft to the knife and delicious to taste, just the right bit of sour that I like in my cheeses. I ordered some croissants and bacon next. The croissant was soft, its taste buttery and sweet –with some Nepali tea, I was in breakfast heaven. We chatted as I nibbled on the delicious cheese like a greedy child trying to make it last longer. “We get most of our produce from small local farmers,” says NayanTara. It’s a wholesome initiative that makes sense, the produce is fresher and it also supports farmers who are often crowded out of the local market by produce from larger farms. TripAdvisor’s 4 star rating of the place is well deserved.
Here are my observations on the place. The décor of the place is very simple; the focus is on the food. A simple chalk board lists out the specials for quick access and the greenery around the eating area is good on the eyes. The checklist-style menu adds value – how many times have you asked someone to help finish off a large meal you couldn’t? The open kitchen and the baked goodies on display are great way to get appetites going. Most importantly, the food is great and so is the experience, thanks to the smiling friendly staff. The portions could have been larger for some dishes, but that could just be the Newar bhoj enthusiast in me talking.
As an extra, there’s free WiFi for those with mobile OCD and a choice in dailies for days when Hari Maharjan is not playing. A friend recently commented that he had a Vicky Christina Barcelona moment at The Yellow House as he listened to Hari Maharjan play. I am sure it was better with the crepes.
For more Information:
Address: Sanepa (In between Shuvatara School and Momotaro Restaurant)
P:5553869, 5522078, F: 5549292
E: reservations@theyellowhouse.com.np
