Maybe we came here on an off night but I really felt our food lacked a significant amount of flavor. The staff was nice and attentive and the decor was cool, but I sort of understand why there's never really anyone dining there. I'd give it a second shot someday, when I've run out of other delicious places to try in Arlington.
(2)
Maria P.
I think that this is an awesome restaurant, the menu is a good mix of Nepali and Indian food. My friends and I were in a bit of a hurry because we were watching a Hindi movie at the Capitol theater next door, they brought the food out pretty fast but that just might be because we ordered appetizers instead of entrees. My friends liked the little soy beans chaat sort of thing they served before we ate. One of my friends had the kwatti soup and it was amazing, perfectly spiced. My other friend had the chicken momos and it was pretty good too, moist and not too thick. I had the malai tikka with an aloo paratha. The malai tikka was succulent and cooked perfectly. The aloo paratha on the other hand was a dissappointment, it just didn't taste right. Maybe they added too many peas? It seemed more like an aloo naan as opposed to a paratha. Service was decent although it was unusually hard to locate a waiter/waitress, they kept disappearing into the kitchen at the same time. I think they don't lay on the oil/butter or spices like most Indian restaurants in the area, so that in itself earns them an extra star. But they lose one for the aloo paratha and the service. All said and done, I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Shivani G.
Great food, a bit pricey, but you pay for the presentation and decor. Love the tangy, butter-like quality of the eggplant and the momos! I would go here on a special occasion and hit up Mt. Everest for my everyday fare.
(3)
Cecilia B.
We had a nice quiet dinner on Sunday night - the decor is lovely with lots of presumably Nepali artifacts. We sat at the booths - and on both sides the seats move (please fix them to the floor as it is very disruptive to have your neighbor get up and you be forced forward into the table!). The offered soy beans - crunchy with garlic and fresh ginger - were delicious and a good insight into the spicy tasty food to come. We were blown away by the Kwatti bean soup - definitely had the promised variety of beans but the spicing was unusual and delicious. The veggie momos were super tasty and the spicy tomato sauce as well. The Aloo Achar was disappointing - potato salad with onions and peas but no evidence of the sesame seeds and nothing special. We tried the goat curry, which had tasty chunks of goat in a yummy sauce, and the veggie curry, which had a variety of veggies in a delicious sauce. Overall, the flavors were interesting and intense, spicy but not unbearable, and definitely fresh. Service was fine and the wine selection good. The special spiced yougurt dessert was not too much and refreshing. A wonderful find - and definitely worth a trip back and recommendations to friends/family.
(4)
Abby R.
We had been dying to try this place for ages (when I say we, what I really mean is my husband.) We had the momos, I had the combo plate, and my husband had the shrimp lo mein. All in all we weren't too impressed. The food was okay but nothing super exciting. I liked the combo plate and the service was great in terms of them being flexible, but we found it nothing to rave about and we won't be going back. It's too bad, I really wanted to like it!
(3)
nicholas w.
hot damn, that was good. i just got home from having dinner at kathmandu spice with my lady, and i am seriously full. the decor is simple and very tasteful. soft music, real napkins, heavy cutlery, etc... there's probably 12 tables in the place. the staff seem really great. our waiter was attentive and a little standoffish until asked for a recommendation. then he was very friendly. it's also just a few doors down from the capitol theater, which makes it an even better place for a date! i'm not terribly familiar with nepalese food. the menu seemed very similar to indian food, but what came out was cleaner and simpler than most indian. it leaned away from cream or dense spices. i'm excited to try more. they started us off with some toasted soybeans which were delicious. we shared the khaja appetizer, which is toasted rice with small portions of a spicy potato salad, savory, marinated grilled chicken, and a bean soup. all three were very tasty and they complimented each other well. i had the mutton meatballs, which were almost buttery they were so soft. it came in a delicious, simple tomato sauce. she had the goat curry at the recommendation of our waiter and it was great too... a simple curry sauce that leaned more towards broth than coconut milk or cream. not very spicy at all, and she ordered medium. the goat was on the bone and just the right amount of gamey... a little tough but very flavorful. great rice and naan came with the entrees. it's a touch on the expensive side... all of that plus a couple of big kingfishers came to $55 (before tip) but the portions were hearty and the food was all delicious, clean, and beautiful. i like this joint! i'll definitely go back.
(4)
S S.
I love this place on Mass Ave. Nothing pretenious or uber fancy, yet really yummy food! Its as close to Nepalese food as it gets in MA. You should try the Momos and the tofu manchurian! The food is super spicy so you might have to ask for the medium spicy option. ( This is if you can tolerate spicy!). My sinus were all cleansed after this meal though :P The staff is really friendly and the place is very resonably priced. Its a good place to go on a low key night or when you have craving for spicy food! Oh and more recommendation try the roti instead of the Naan!
(4)
sunny n.
Bostons first Nepali Restnt !!! I was fortunate to go with a great Nepali friend of mine..who walked me through... Momos, Chicken Chilli and Kwatti which are finally here in beantown..!!! Spicy and full of flavour in smooth cozy dim lighting decor....you need to be someone who enjoys tangy or spicy food!! Waitstaff is quite courteous and the corner location on Mass Ave is key with ample street parking.
(4)
Lynne C.
Nice change from local Indian restaurants - liked the Tibetan influence. Enjoyed the vegetarian appetizer platter, but the momos are not as good as House of Tibet in Teele Square Somerville. Nice decor and good service (we were there on a very busy night). The menu states that there can be a 20 minute wait for entrees as everything is made to order. Worth the wait. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Brandon L.
The best North Indian food I've ever had in Boston area. What makes this place so distinguished is that unlike most Indian restaurants where they prepare the buckets of curry sauce ahead of time, their food is much more fresh. They have the best goat curry and some of the apetizers, especially the vegetable ones are just amazing. This is truly a place where the chef cares about food and gives her best.
(5)
S A.
This is one of the best restaurants for Indian food in the Boston area. I know its a Nepalese restaurant, but has a variety of Indian dishes (Trust me, Crab Chettinad is not Nepalese, but South Indian). The kebabs are excellent, the sizzler was above any Indian sizzler platter I have had in the Boston area. I have already been there twice in two weeks, and plan on having their lunch buffet before the end of February. The waitresses are very nice, and service is generally very good. Good decor and atmosphere. Try the momos, Chilly Chicken, Kathmandu sizzler platter. Ask them to tone down the spice if you are not into hot food. UPDATE: 8-26-2007 The last few times I went to Kathmandu Spice, I was saddened to notice it had followed the path many Indian have followed -- start off good, become mediocre in a few months. The dinner served didn't taste fresh. The lamb felt tough to chew. The food tasted like it had been nuked in the microwave. The dessert (Dudh Bhari) tasted like it had been made with bad milk. The wait staff is still courteous. And oh yes, please check your check for any additional bottles of beer you didn't order. Have seen mistakes on that a couple of times before. Not sure when/if I'll go there any time soon.
(3)
Britt H.
very delicious. the spicy okra entree is the best--not gooey. a la carte dinner menu is better than buffet lunch.
(4)
Gabe L.
I was excited when I found a Nepali restaurant in Boston. It turned out to be worth the trip! The momos were drier than I expected - when I'd had them before they had the soup in them like chinese dumplings. Here they didn't, and the tops were slightly dehydrated, like they'd been standing. However, they were still very tasty, and the sauce was excellent. And, the buddha's delight wasn't to my taste, although obviously well made. We enjoyed the goat curry far more, and it disappeared all too quickly. The clear winner, however, was the tuna spring roll. While the momos were disappointing to me I think it might only because I'd been so spoiled when I'd had them before. The food was all finely made, with quality ingredients. The environment was dimly lit providing a warm atmosphere. The parking is easy, the waitstaff is very courteous. We didn't touch the winelist but I noticed that there was a wine from India I wanted to try next time. And there will definitely be a next time! Update: 9/24/07: Went a few weeks back and had the same tasty results. The food is authentic from my limited experience. I definitely recommend to try it out!
(4)
Nancy D.
Sunday dinner was fabulous! The atmosphere was cozy... just a few tables with soft music in the background. We started our order with the Kathmandu Platter which was a nice sampler for the 3 of us. We had the Curry Lamb, a fish dish and rice with shrimp and veggies for our dinner. Nan comes with some dishes, but reviews recommended the Spicy Chili Nan, so we got that too. We had plenty of food and every bite was delicious. We were concerned about the service after reading a few Yelp reviews, but our server was great (not overly friendly, but attentive). We used a Groupon coupon, so dinner for 3 was only $40 including tip. The only complaint... no full bar service, only wine and beer and we are martini drinkers. Oh well.
(5)
S S.
We chose this place because the menu looked different from the usual Indian spread that you get in Nepalese restaurants. It definitely has a different spread, we tried the Tofu Manchurian and Tangy Eggplant with the veggie momos to start with. It has a more Asian/Thai flavor than we expected but 10 times more spicy to ensure that it was not losing its South Asian character. Service was definitely lack-luster and very matter-of-fact. It is not as exotic as it looks on their website, but the food is reasonably good.
(3)
karan K.
This is one of the best South Asian restaurants in the Boston area and offers an excellent alternative to the cheap Indian restaurants that dot Central and Davis squares. Along with Guru the caterer, this place should satisfy all your cravings for North Indian food. Try the Khaja an appetizer with fried flattened rice, chicken and vegetable. Something like Bhelpuri if you have had it. Their buffet is real value for money especially the lamb curry, chicken skewers and the bhindi masala. Now only if someone would open a decent South Indian restaurant or a Knokani/ Goan one
(5)
Alana-Nicole D.
My boyfriend and I went here for a Saturday lunch buffet (11-3). For $8.95 we had our choice of naan and rice all we could eat of five dishes, a soup selection and a dessert selection. Despite coming in at the tail end of the buffet time the food was still plentiful and warm. The selection was wonderful with great flavors, great atmosphere, and comfortable seating. We will definitely be back to have dinner.
(5)
Naomi U.
I was shocked to find the sign on the door today saying: Thank you for your support and patronage for 10 years. Our thanks to Arlington community and our neighbors. The business is now closed. Please feel free to communicate via our Facebook page.
(5)
David T.
So far this is my favorite Nepalese place. I could eat their Momos all day long. The only downside is they are not at all geared up for family style. They decided to go American style and dropped all support for sharing meals. Everything is an entree that comes with its own rice or naan. This gets very wasteful if you are ordering lots of dishes to share.
Not closed! I was just here yesterday! Saffron shrimp are still as good as ever.
(5)
Melissa M.
We arrived at the buffet at 12:30 and waited 25 mins before the tandoori chicken was replenished. Unfortunately it was pink to the bone. There were the empty dishes at the buffet so we returned to our chair with a salad. The waitress finally brought out more food but the group who had just arrived beat us to the line. I felt so defeated. As soon as the chicken came out me and 5 others who were also waiting nearly tripped over each other to get to it. Pathetic! There is no excuse not to be ready for the lunch crowd on a Friday when you have a lunch buffet until 3!
(2)
Ann Marie F.
This is great food. Most of the menu is familiar to people who like Indian food, but some things are Nepali, so unique dishes, and others are familiar "Indian" dishes but with unfamiliar names. Everything we had was very tasty. The free little soybean appetizer was a nice surprise. The portions were substantial, and the sauces were delicious. My only (minor) complaints were that the wait staff were a little bit bored and/or unsure of themselves, and the food is at least a couple of dollars more expensive than a comparable Indian restaurant in the Cambridge/Arlington area. But we'll be back once in a while for some extra-special food! NOTE: They are CLOSED on TUESDAYS. Every Tuesday. There's a sign on the door, not sure about the website, but don't try to go on a Tuesday. Because they will be closed.
(4)
Isabella R.
The food here is beyond phenomenal. I highly recommend it. The saffron shrimp for appetizer were divine. 4 stars only because service was very very slow. They had only 1 lady for the whole place of a Friday night so things took a little longer than they should have. Aside from that the food is phenomenal!
(4)
Moumita B.
More Indian than Kathmandu I guess. Very tasty.
(4)
Zoe L.
Love! I'd drive an hour to eat here; it's worth it. The khanti soup claims to have 9 different beans in it; I didn't count them, but the soup's flavor is comfortingly spicy-ish (not hot though). Most of the menu consists of hearty, filling food (I say most because I haven't tried everything, but maybe some day that dream will come true). Some veggie options, not sure about vegan. I could have eaten an entree of just potatoes in the veggie curry sauce. There's a buffet too, but I didn't even look at those options. Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town.
(4)
Looking F.
awesome food . they serve nice soya starter . platter was expensive there were very few pieces of meat on it . we also orders chicken momos they were excellent as well as tomato soup . will go there again
(4)
Henry Z.
Both vegetable platter and lamb biryani are wonderful. Nice decoration. Only con is it takes a long wait for the dishes to be served even we are the only customer in store, probably due to everything is prepared from scratch and carefully. I think it is worthy to wait!
(5)
Vaishali B.
Delicious food! love the dumplings and lamb, definitely recommend this awesome place!
(5)
Nicole A.
Really great food. The dumplings are amazing!!!!
(5)
Maureen D.
Yummy $10 lunch buffet. We all left stuffed and satisfied!
(4)
Paul S.
If I want Indian food, I drive on past all the local Indian restaurants and head on over to Kathmandu Spice. The Nepali food is a close cousin to what you find at an Indian restaurant, but it offers enough different menu items to break away from the same old same old. The momos are fresh, with a tangy spicy sauce. They also have a tomato soup that is probably the best I have ever eaten.
(5)
Teresa C.
Loved the food! At the advice of our server we ordered the Veg Mo Mos, Tangy Eggplant and Tofu Manchurian. We look forward to coming back and trying the other dishes.
(5)
Aaditya S.
Hard to find vegetarian dumplings around in boston, but this place serves the best vegetarian dumplings. I like almost everything I are at this restaurant, all the tarkaris and bread. In my opinion this place serves the best Nepali food around in boston
(5)
A O.
I had never had Nepalese food before, so didn't know what to expect. I am happy to report that I was VERY pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere is calming, and our waitress was very pleasant. They give you a bowl of crunchy soybeans/ginger/lime/parsley before the meal that are delicious. We had vegetable momos and garlic naan to start. Both were impressive, the naan was heavy on garlic and parsley and was excellent. I had the tangy eggplant.. The eggplant was cooked TO PERFECTION. I have never had such perfectly cooked eggplant before!! It came with rice and there was plenty for leftovers. I love this restaurant, I cant wait to go back and try other things on the menu!!!
(5)
Zoe P.
I'm surprised by the negative reviews, but then again, I'm not. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate a really good restaurant, especially when you've probably got a favorite Indian dive that you like just fine that's a few bucks cheaper. But this is not that place, and not just because they've got momos on the menu. They cook the food with care. The chicken in our masala was moist and tender enough to cut with a fork and suffused with flavor. The green snap peas were fresh and crisp and not one but two tables asked us what the dish was, it was so vibrantly delicious-looking. The okra was delicately spiced, and soft, sweet, slimy (as it should be) and earthy underneath. The nice folks here like to share what they do. The raw ginger and garlic with roasted soy nuts is a sophisticated little appetizer and a charming freebie and not something I would have known to order. It has a crunch and burn that is the perfect start to a meal and a good accompaniment with a glass of wine. Speaking of which, the French Chardonnay is good. And the dinner portions are large. I don't think I've ever eaten that much okra at one sitting and we were too full for dessert. The only disappointment: we found the food a little on the mild side, but that's because we, um, ordered it mild. Next time we'll ask for a bit more heat. Still, the flavors were complex enough that the food wasn't dull, and the heat grew on me slowly. We'd gotten take-out from here before and the food doesn't travel that well. The dining room is pretty and very relaxing and although it was quiet when we got there, the place filled up with all sorts of folks enjoying the dinner portion of dinner and a movie.
(4)
Tenzin C.
i feel as though i am not in a position to even rate this place! i am love nepalese food, i crave it in my dreams its the taste of my motherland. when i heard of this place i was so excited but then THEY WERE RANDOMLY CLOSED, then i went a second time... and it was TUESDAY. so AGAIN- closed. and i just went now and they were CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE EVENT. this is not anyones fault. Ill just never be back. i gave them 3 chances an they turned me away with an empty stomach all three times.
(2)
Jude M.
Just went again to Katmandu - food is superb. Service is not so - that's why 4 stars - otherwise 5 stars. The goat is great, the grilled food is a bit on the well done side, but I am sure if I asked for med-rare I would have gotten it that way. The mint sauce is very, very mild and wonderful. I had been here about 5 years ago and remembered how great the food was - now I remember why I had such fond memories of the food. A must try.
(4)
Nhi N.
The food here is so yummy! the flavor is close to Indian food (obviously) but a bit lighter on the spices (which I like) and a bit more unfamiliar (since Nepalese food is not easy to find around here) in a good way. The desserts are excellent! They're very similar to desserts you can get from any Indian grocery stores, but 10 times better :) Love this place!
(4)
Marty M.
Food was above average. I love the lunch buffet. Delicious nan, tandoori chicken and curry. The only bad experience was the service. Our waitress was unfriendly and did not want to be there. We had to ask for water and refills. We plates were not removed and piled up. One of the worst service experience.
(3)
Lillian P.
Yummy!!!! I am suprised this place doesnt have higher reviews. I got chicken curry which was pretty yummy, but my fiancee got the chicken steak and omg that was orgasmic. It was so tender it was falling off the bone...the sauce had really sunk into the meat also. It was the one of the best dishes I have ever tasted. Defiantly recommend this place.
(5)
Lib L.
We just had a wonderful dinner at Kathmandu Spice in East Arlington. Apparently one of only 2? Nepalese restaurants in the Boston area. Wonderful, unusual, yummy flavors -- combination of the two neighboring countries-- India and China. Recommend the shrimp moilee w mustard flavored coconut sauce and the chicken or veg momo dumplings with incredible zippy flavored sauce which is on the side. Yummy Naan and brown rice.
(5)
Robert V.
This place is great! Really interesting mix of Nepali and Indian dishes. Great Momos (Nepali dumplings). Delish noodle dishes and curries. Nice home made naan as well. Surprisingly extensive wines by the glass for an inexpensive ethnic spot. Nice service and cute decor. Nothing too fancy, but a real find in Arlington. This place should be jammed!
(5)
Dannie W.
I went to this restaurant because I saw a lot of good reviews of the lunch buffet. But I was kind of disappointed. Well, the goat curry and tandoori chicken tasted ok like other restaurants. The goat meat was a little chewy and had a lot of big bones even though the sauce tasted good. There were too few options for buffet. There are only 2 meat dishes (mentioned above). There are salad, white rice, kwatti, cauliflower and potato curry, mustard green, kheer and naan. The options are a lot fewer than in other buffet restaurants with similar price range. It does not worth the money especially for vegetarians. I don't think I will ever go for the lunch special again.
(2)
Joanna F.
Stopped in for the lunch buffet to use my Groupon with the boyfriend and some friends. I had a $40 Groupon and four of us got the buffet for basically that exact amount of money. What a deal! The service definitely left something to be desired, but the food was fresh and delicious. As usual, there weren't a ton of options at the buffet (which seems pretty typical for Indian/Nepalese restaurants), but everything we sampled was really good. I could have used more freshly baked naan (again, the service left something to be desired), but overall great value for the price.
(4)
John C.
Buffets. what do you expect when you go to a buffet? i expect a ton of B-C level food that all taste somewhat the same. Not fair for this place considering my bias right? groupon had a little sale that gave us two free buffets (well, it came out to 1.90) so we decided to go in. we get there at around 11:50 and they had just opened. there was one customer inside. he seemed to come straight out of a movie. large man, in all green sweats and stuffing his face. there was food on his chest, on his face and he apparently has never learned the purpose of a napkin. his coke had a cooked onion hanging off the brim of the glass. no matter how hungry you are, no matter how good the food smells, that image will find that chink in your armor and keep dinging away. with that said, the food was pretty decent. it wasn't any better or worse than your typical tibetan/nepalese food. it was just unlimited. i like unlimited, call me libertarian, but i like to chose when i should stop eating, not the plate. there was a small salad offering, a couple nepalese pancakes, chow meins and spiced cauliflower. all of it was was B-C quality. i enjoyed most of it, the spices were a nice touch, really helped clear my sunday morning sinuses. we were offered some naan. the naan was good, definitely home made and definitely better than any naan i've ever had from a restaurant. as i'm eating i look over at the big guy who continues to stuff himself and i see something short of genius. he took a naan and stuffed it, then rolled it up. i know the restaurant had a sign that said himilayan fusion but i never expected it to be fused with mexican! he made a naan burrito. being a fatty at heart i followed. great idea! that should earn the restaurant another star, but it wasn't their idea, it was his. when judging one of these small ethnic restaurants i always do one thing. check out the bathroom. how a bathroom is kept will give you an idea of how the restaurant, more importantly the kitchen is kept. the bathroom was small, cold and most importantly, not very clean. the place just opened so it wasn't because patrons dirtied it over the course of the day. it was just not well cleaned .the walls had snots on them. the corners had dust... bathrooms are the one place where people are alone. there is nothing that influences their thoughts about your restaurant other than how clean it is or how comfortable it is. no matter how good your food is you will be downgraded if your bathroom is small, cold and dirty. all in all, for 7 bucks lunch for 2 it was a pretty damn good deal. i could see myself spending 16 bucks total with tips for a meal like this. but at the suggested price of 22 before tips. nahh thanks.
(2)
Anne W.
I was craving some Indian food and thought.. I didn't want to go to Punjab. I have an adversion to that place because their food isn't hot.. it's just warm. This place makes their food look pretty but... meh on the taste. I got their Kathmandu appetizer plate that had a variety of things. I saw dumplings and I was surprised. I thought.. hey, maybe it's different. They have chutney as dipping sauces instead of soy sauce. Nope.. I think it's still better with soy sauce. Tried their goat curry... which was good but too little goat. And tried their lamb biryiani... it was okay. Expensive for what you get.. at least that's what I think. They need to make their portions bigger.. Quiet date place.. service is not really too great. Filled our water only once and didn't really ask us what we thought of the food.
(2)
Denise M.
This place was great!! Yummy to my tummy and heaven to the taste buds!! Actually found this place last night by searching on Yelp.. THANK YOU my fellow Yelp community members!! The steamed dumplings were tender, and a nice low fat alternative to the typical greasy fried appetizers you might find on some restaurant menu, although for those who prefer there are fried options as well. The sauce for the appetizer provides the heat for the dish, I chose spicy, always love the heat! The waiter actually brought over extra sauce after I used the entire container of sauce for my dumplings. For my entree I ordered the lamb curry, extra spice. The sauce was not thick and rich like many Indian curry sauces, that was a plus for me. The spice level wasn't as hot as I expected but the meat was tender, The longer lamb is simmered the more tender and less fat on the meat. This is the only reason for the missing 5th star. Next time I will emphasis, I can take the heat. Often my lilly white Irish heritage does not portray the actual amount of heat I can endure and enjoy. I came alone and felt comfortable here and actually emailed a friend today to make a date to come back together. Great little place close to home.
(4)
Lynne S.
Walking into Kathmandu Spice Restaurant you're met my a big wall. At first I thought it could be a rather high reception area, but it was the end of a row of booths with a sign that says "Please wait to be seated." Really? Wait where? And for how long? There was literally no place to stand besides right in front of the door and it was a good 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us and about 5 more before we were actually seated. Ok rough start, it happens. We were looking for a real Nepalese experience so we started with the Kathmandu appetizer platter, which was a sampling of momo, shrimp, goat sekewa and malai tikka. I've had momo before and I love them, but these were just okay, as was the shrimp. The goat was good, but the chicken ... Ahhh the chicken! It was the saving grace of the dish. It was tender, juicy and very flavorful. And when you dipped it in the mint chutney it was even better. Yum! For entrees, we couldn't decide between the lamb curry and the roasted quail, so we decided to order both and split them. They both came with either a plain naan or basmati rice. The quail was excellent. Although there wasn't much meat, the chef's special green mint sauce was strong and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed dipping my soft, fluffy naan in it once the quail was gone. The lamb in the curry was very tender and delicious. But besides a rather runny sauce, that's really all that was in the curry. Overall, the food was good, but nothing life-changing. After we were through, we waited another 10 or so minutes for them to clear our plates and bring our check. They should really think about changing the layout of the restaurant and perhaps having a host. I would have enjoyed our experience much more if the service had been a bit more attentive.
(3)
Eva A.
I reallly liked this place. Unlike many Indian restaurants, the food was not overly spicy or heartburn- inducing. As someone who suffers with bad heartburn, I would know. I think all of their food is fresh and spiced perfectly and everything from the lentil soup to the actual entree was fabulous and I would certainly go there again. Great experience.
(5)
Kyle Marie C.
This is the most AMAZING restaurant !!! The food is CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT, all the freshest ingredients, made to order, friendly service, quiet and able to converse easily, comfortable booths to sit in !!! By far one of the BEST restaurants in Arlington, right near the movie theater. I have been to Nepal many times and the food here is AUTHENTIC and quite delicious. Many Nepalese frequent this restaurant, one of the best in the Boston area. Check it out, you will be very satisfied.
(5)
Charlotte G.
The goat curry is amazing! It really can't be missed. The lunch buffet was also really stellar... Good enough to make me come back for dinner!
(4)
K B.
Nice cozy place to eat in Arlington. Food was yummy and just right with the spice. We tried Chicken tikka, Daal, bhaat alo pratahs . Everything was just right. Service is quick and helping. Defiantly a must visit place :)
(4)
Gene G.
I have been there for dinner with my family. The food was mediocre and fairly expensive even with a coupon. Service was indifferent, meat dry, garnishes too salty, soup cold. This place has significantly declined over the years. Several years ago it was a gem in this neighborhood, with memorable food and friendly and attentive staff. Alas no more.
(2)
Jo B.
I frequent this restaurant and the House Naan, Pakura and Biryani is to die for. Much better than any of the Indian restaurants around. The service is terrific and the food is prepared fresh.
(5)
J C.
Zoe P review is very accurate...food is prepared with fresh ingredients and with care. Cuisine has similarities to Indian dishes...quality seems to be higher than the norm. Price point is good...naan or rice comes with each dish ordered. Highly recommended.
(5)
Art H.
Visited again for a business lunch. Highly recommend the buffet and especially the lentils. Nice decor, too, and very good service. Highly recommended as a refreshing and tasty alternative to other Asian cuisine.
(4)
Ed M.
Came in here on a Friday night for dinner with our Groupon and it was reasonably crowded. We did not have to wait for a table though. While reading the menu we got some tasty toasted soybeans on the table to snack on. I went with the Mixed Grill sizzler (tandoori chicken, goat, shrimp) as I had never been for Nepalese food before and I enjoyed it a lot. The wife got the goat curry and said it was awesome. They were pretty quick with refilling the water and the waitress was nice and friendly. The place is pretty quiet so when you sit next to "that guy" it makes it a bit tough to enjoy your meal and a nice conversation when you have someone with a raised voice next to you saying/shouting things like "I don't even know what the hell this stuff is". That doesn't change my rating as it's not their fault but I noticed another review mentioned this too so thought I would complain about it too. Would go back for more.
(4)
John R.
blech! Horrible dinner tonight. There were 5 other tables all sitting with their menus for ages and not able to get the wait staff's attention. They were ignoring most of us and once we finally ordered and then finally got our food, it was not worth the wait. Bland chicken curry. Icky everything else. I will never ever come back. Bad service, worse food. Stay away.
(1)
Kyle S.
Very quiet and simple. I love the atmosphere, I just wish other people would take note of the peaceful nature of the staff and surrounding customers. Yapping loudly about nonsense at a place like this sticks out like a sore thumb; honestly it's just annoying. The food is delicious! I ordered the chicken curry (not very adventurous of me) and it was spicy enough to make my face sweat just a little... in other words perfect. Food and aesthetics go hand in hand, people need to respect a restaurant that tries to offer both. So please please please, hush up and enjoy the experience; you're paying for it!
(4)
Yaj L.
Amazing food i went there couple of times, man those momo and drum of heaven was amazing. I have to try their nepali food they are serving. I am from Nepal so i know how to cook authentic food. Service is not the best part. Go there and enjoy the meal.
(5)
Reva R.
I go here regularly over the weekends for their buffet! I think it is fair to say that I eat here once every month (sometimes even twice). Very clean place, great staff, excellent service, overall a beautiful cozy place. The wall color, pictures are very elegant and add greatly to the ambiance. Spice level: Medium (but you can make it spicy by adding their sauces) The weekend lunch buffet menu is as follows: Salad, with different sauces( red, green, yoghurt, ranch) Soup : lentils, beans, awesome spices ( to die for!) Appetizer: Fried pancakes ish, very yum! Vegetable noodles (tip: try it with their red sauce) Entrees: 2 vegetarian entrees ( Potato cauliflower in Indian spices, Mustard greens etc) One chicken entree One goat entree White rice Rice pudding or Gulab jamun And GARLIC NAAN! this is the best garlic naan ever! Nothing matches the taste of their naan- period.
(5)
GM J.
The food was delicious here. The service was slow though and we had to flag down the waiter a couple of times. The hotness scale for the rice was described as mild, medium and hot, but the medium was still pretty spicy. Overall, I thought the food was really good, but next time I might try the lunch buffet or take-out/delivery.
(4)
S L.
One of my favorite places to frequent. Their garlic naan is made-to-order fresh and AMAZING. I go for the buffet, and I like how they rotate their menu by the day of the week. They focus on quality over quantity, so they don't have a huge selection. The place is also sparkling clean, a huge bonus and rare for buffet joints.
(5)
ancaruci C.
This review is for the lunch buffet. II really enjoyed this place. First, this is a Nepalese place, and the food is very similar to the Indian one, but something that I liked is that you can really taste some differences in flavors, spices and methods of cooking. The lunch was amazing, with a great variety of options, excellent naan and desserts. For $10, it was an inspiring deal, and I ended up full and really satisfied! The service was good but not excellent, but for a buffet you don't really need a lot of personal attention, so it was OK.
(5)
Karen D.
Mostly good food, but I don't feel inspired to run back there anytime soon. The atmosphere and experience was so-so and when we walked around after dinner, there were a lot of places that seemed like better choices and had more of a buzz going on for a Saturday night. I decided to use a Groupon I had bought awhile back. The restaurant was only half full. The man who greeted us (or maybe I should say seated us because there wasn't much greet to it), wasn't particularly friendly. Fortunately, he wasn't our server. They start you off with a little dish of toasted soybeans with garlic and ginger. I never had that before and it was tasty. We had the saffron shrimp and chili cheese naan. The shrimp had a nice flavor and the chili cheese naan was super spicy. This was the best part of the meal and I think we should have made a dinner out of some of the appetizers. We each ordered the chicken curry. When it came, it was one bowl of rice and one bowl of chicken curry. We thought they put our orders together, buy it was pretty small. We figured it might be one of those really small portion restaurants. The curry sauce was good, but the chicken-not as much. It wasn't really white meat and my boyfriend got a few chewy pieces. When we got the bill, it was just one chicken curry order we got, which actually was a good thing. The Groupon covered the whole bill so all we had to pay was tax and tip. Then we went to one of the other restaurants, sat at the bar and shared a dessert.
(2)
JohnnyFoodface ..
Food is "cleaner" and "healthier" than typical indian food: There is less cream overall and a minimalist approach to oils and spices. My guest and I were refreshed by this take on the cuisine, as well as the plethora of vegetarian options. Good for a change from Indian places that can lay it on with oil, cream, salt, and spice. Not incredibly creative but different and, from my years of experience dining in Boston, uncommon. They have a lunch buffet option which I will definitely take advantage of in the future.
(4)
K P.
I went there for Buffet on a Sunday. I pretty much liked everything. Service was good. Parking was easy. The only suggestion I have for them is when they provide naan in the basket, it would be better if they can bring 2 pieces at a time so that they wont get cold pretty fast. Butter naans are fine if they are kept longer but plain naan dries up pretty fast. So only 2 pieces per person at a time (like they do it in India Palace in Union Sq)
(5)
Cynthia G.
I was shocked by this restaurant, in a great way. I think I expected something similar to Tibetan restaurants I've visited around town - kind of hearty home cooking, not particularly refined. Tasty, but not something I'd go out of my way to recommend. This was entirely different. They first placed a little crunchy amuse-bouche at our plates, a great combination of flavors and textures. We got the vegetarian combo appetizer, black lentils (creamy, flavorful), and tangy eggplant. Eggplant usually comes rather heavily bathed in oil and sauce, but this dish contained long strips of eggplant, crispy without feeling oily, with a light coating of sauce. It was perfectly done, and beautifully presented. I felt the attention to detail in all the food. And the dessert, a thickened yoghurt dish, was an ideal ending. If I lived in Arlington, I'd eat there again and again. Especially for the price. This place is a treasure.
(5)
Vipin K.
We went there on a quiet Sunday night with only one family eating prior to us. Staff looked bored when the three of us arrived but got to life and took our orders with a pleasant smile. The place is spacious, clean and has better atmosphere than many other Indian restaurants in Boston. It wasn't my first time there and had enjoyed their food before but my expectations weren't too high. I always liked their Okra Masala and momos (especially the chutney) and hence going there was a safe bet and I knew that people accompanying me would also find something good for their taste. Okra Masala and momos were fantastic as usual but I also liked Goat Sekua and Lentil Bukhara. Green chillies and small grilled meat pieces worked very well with the mint chutney. The ginger pieces in Lentil Bukhara and the falavor of Lentils worked very well for me. Please note that we ordered all the dishes to be hot and spicy and they brought the spice level up without compromising the taste. Aloo tama was a new flavor and satisfactory as well with bamboo shoots and black eyed peas. Complimentary crunchy beans with small pieces of onion, garlic and ginger were also amazing. We all left with our stomachs full and smiles on our faces.
(5)
Vanilla P.
Momo Madness! Fun to order, and fantastic to eat! Make sure you get extra red spicy sauce: It's a mouth cha cha waiting to happen :D Cool waiters, happy customers, and a comfortable atmosphere make Kathmandu a top ten on my Arlington Eats list. ...When I get around to actually trying 9 other worthy places...
(4)
Al N.
I had lunch here recenty and really enjoyed it. I don't normally eat buffet meals, but everything looked so good and fresh I had to try. Additionally, the selection of items was and excellent mix, balanced and great for sampling. Everything was prepared well, the staff was terrific including letting the three of us spend a long time catching up without hassles. I'll go back for dinner soon.
(4)
K J.
I find this a great alternative to Punjab (I agree it is not an ideal comparison) even though I have been there (Punjab) only once. The menu here is a good mix of traditional Nepalese, Indo-Chineese, and Indian. In line with the traditional Hindu beliefs, no beef or pork is available in any of the items on the menu. Non vegetarian options are primarily chicken, and lamb. As far as the food goes, it is delicious, prepared well and complemented with good service from the staff. I love the small portion of soy beans they provide at the start, akin to the papad and chutney that Indian restaurants offer nowadays. It is a nice mixture of crispy soy beans, chopped onions, ginger zest, lemon juice, cilantro, and seasoning. I tried asking if it has a name, but apparently it does not. Like the waitress said "It is just called soy beans :-)". A great selection of appetizers, including vegetable and chicken momos, spring rolls. I always end up substituting the Chicken Chili as my appetizer, little chunks of chicken stir fried with onions and peppers made spicy to your liking. The portions are plentiful, so often when I am with a second person we would simply order just one curry/side dish to go with our breads. It is great that most of the entrees come with a choice of rice/naan/roti. The Lentil Bukhara is a perfect side to a roti. If you are vegan, it may be worthwile to check (which I am sure most do) because I could taste melted butter in most many of the seemingly vegan dishes (the above mentioned Lentil Bukhara being one) The naan is typically NOT the fluffy chunky type that one may find in Indian restaurants, rather they are smaller and thinner more like a parata. But that does not take away the taste. Since the place is almost never crowded, I feel that they take the time to prepare the dishes really well. Service is not rushed through which allows you to sit for a time longer than usual. if it suits your taste, they do have a collection of wines to choose from. There are a few things I would like to sample from their menu, primarily the Dal, Bhat & Tarkari Meal (a staple for the people of Nepal), the Biryani (mainly the lamb), and the Golden Gobi. So I will save some space here until the next Bollywood movie comes the the nearby Arlington theater.
(5)
Shimstu S.
Yum! After wanting to check out Kathmandu Spice for a while, I finally made it there with my mom last week on the first night of her visit from Florida- i was choosing this place over Redbones for her intro to Somerville (and environs), so it had to be good! After an awkward and frustrating 20 minute wait, it was, in fact, GREAT! They really need to learn how to welcome guests and manage their crowds, but they definitely know how to do good food. We ordered the Gobi- yummy yummy cauliflower balls with an amazing dipping sauce. We also had the Kwatti soup- 9 beans in a lentily broth, but with a much more interesting and sophisticated flavor. I forget the name, but we had the thin-sliced fried eggplant- it came built in a lovely jenga-esque tower covered in a rich tamarind sauce. the wait sucked, but once we were seated, the staff was lovely, the food was yummy. i would recommend for sure. We didn't have any meat, but it's a great destination for veggies...
(4)
Jen W.
I've been here twice and both times the food was delicious. The sauces on the dishes are always yummy!! The meals always have great presentation. My only complaint is that the price seems to be a bit steep. Oh, and the naan is excellent!!
(4)
Laurel C.
Have tried the lunch buffet a few times and found it so-so. Had a coupon so went with my kids for lunch. I love spicy food, including Indian food, as do my kids, so we thought this was safe. Momos were good. Howver, not only were the two entrees we ordered not as described, one (the eggplant) was so sour, as opposed to the menu's definition of "tangy", it was inedible. I asked them to take it off the bill, as about 2 bites were eaten. They wouldn't. That kind of service leaves a bad taste in my mouth for sure. Not going back. Ever.
(1)
Stuart L.
When this place originally opened it was very promising. Over the years, it has gone way downhill across the board - the food, the vibe, the service. I ate here today, for the last time. The buffet used to be uniformly excellent. The soup is still very fresh and good and the naan is prepared to order. It is apparent that most of the rest of the items are recycled from previous buffets. It would be generous to describe the service as indifferent. At least it's not hostile, more like passive aggressive. I am very sad to be posting this review, but it is what it is. I had avoided Kathmandu Spice for three months, and now I am done for good.
(1)
S B.
The food here is INCREDIBLE. It's a bit like Indian, combined with a bunch of other types of food. The chile cheese naan is SO good - but very spicy, so chew with care. I had the Kathmandu Platter and all of it was very good - especially the goat sekuwa. I've never had goat that tasty. It was spiced and cooked perfectly. Other tasty foods I've had here: mixed vegetable platter (fried cauliflower = amazing), mushroom pepper, lentil bukhara, kwatti soup, and the roti. A+ for the food. The atmosphere here is very relaxing - nice for a couple or small group. We had five people, which seemed to be the largest they could comfortably accommodate. The dark orange and yellow walls and wall decor make for a pleasant meal, and the smooth music helps as well. The only issue I had was that our food all came out at different time. My roti didn't arrive until I was well into my food - which was a bummer because the bread goes so well with the meat. All of our appetizers and entrees were staggered, and had a significant amount of time between them, which was sort of unfortunate. But other than that, the service was great. Definitely highly recommend this place for a sit down dinner with friends, family, or lovers!
(4)
Chelsea J.
Really good, but the plates were small. We went in on a whim one day, dont ask why we were in Arlington. We got the Kathmandu platter as an appetizer, which came with momos, shrimp, goat, and malai tikka. It was perfect since we couldn't decide between all of the delicious sounding apps, but we were concerned that we would have too much food between that and entrees. Fortunately, it was tiny, so plenty of room for more food. I got the lamb curry, which was pretty good and a decent amount of lamb. He got the softshell crab, which he said was very fresh and cooked well. Our server was really nice and helpful, even though she was covering the whole restaurant. Also, marked down for having soda from a can, that's a pet peeve of mine.
(3)
Mark G.
Excellent buffet, attentive staff, good location.
(4)
Heather C.
I'm writing this review for one reason . . . to get you to try Kathmandu. The food is awesome whether you sit down or take out. The lamb curry is tasty and tender. The lamb biryani is probably one of the best meals I've ever eaten. I love the house special naan with dried fruits and nuts. Tandoori is succulent and not too dry. So yummy! You need to go.
(5)
Dave L.
The food here is very delicious; a light alternative to Indian. The sauces are much less thick. The naan bread that came complimentary with dinner was excellent. The downside: prices are a bit steep. An entree can go up to around $18, which isn't an outrageous price but I wasn't floored by the quality and service of the restaurant. Another positive: the lassi are the same price as soda , so you don't feel guilty ordering one.
(3)
Cee C.
CAll Ahead they often have private parties and are close to the public.
(3)
Mama P.
If it were possible to give no stars, that would be my rating. Arrived on a Friday at 709pm and they had 4 tables vacant. They managed to ignore us as we waited to be seated until 724pm - no eye contact, no welcome, we'll seat you in a minute. Nothing. Once seated, we waited till 752pm to have our orders taken. They had 4 people working but only the tall sullen guy was taking orders. The other 3 were mostly hiding in the kitchen. The food came out at 824pm and our water glasses were finally filled after that. The combo plate at $16.95 was horrible. Tiny portions of 4-5 items, all mediocre. The goat curry were 2 pieces of very bony gristly meat - gross. The lamb curry was dry as leather and had 5 small cubes for $13.95. The shrimp chow mein (don't ask) was a bowl of mostly cabbage and onions with very little noodles and 2 small shrimp. Terrible service, not good food. What a waste of a Friday night and $46. I went home and ate pretzels.
(1)
Lys W.
Eating at Kathmandu Spice Restaurant, this weekend, was my first foray into the world of Nepalese food. All I can say is YUM! I was introduced to Momos and Aloo Tama, both of which I found to be delicious. The Aloo Tama was perfect, not too heavy to eat and I was just the right amount of full. The dishes that I tried were not spicy, either. Sometimes you feel like spice and sometimes you don't! They fulfilled my vegetarian requirements nicely, as well. We were on a time-crunch, and the restaurant brought out our food quickly. They did not hover, also, which I appreciated. Yes, I will be back! :)
(4)
Wham S.
Best Indian restaurant we've found in the Boston area. Kicks Diva's (in Davis Square) butt. We got the chicken steak masala, chicken curry, garlic naan, and veggie momos, and they were all fabulous. A little pricey, but worth it.
(5)
Gerald W.
Excellent and fresh Nepalese food
(4)
jen h.
The prices are decent and the food was amazing. We started off with some garlic naan, which was cooked perfectly. Then we had a goat appetizer which was delicious!! My husband got something that had a little taste of everything and I had the lamb curry, both were fantastic!!! I would recommend this place to anyone, the food really was awesome!
(5)
Ken M.
This review is based on the lunch buffet. I would not rate the dinner there this highly. I love the food, especially when they have okra. I also really like some of the dessert offerings they have. Kathmandu Spice is great especially if you have coworkers who will indulge your need to have different food options occasionally. For us, it's every week.
(5)
Kate T.
The appetizer portion was extremely generous for $10. My boyfriend and I were half full after splitting one vegetarian mixed platter. Conversely, the entrees were overpriced. Although we were satisfied, we weren't blown away, and neither entree was worth anywhere near the price. My veggies in curry sause was $11 and his 10 shrimp in sauce was a crazy $17. We enjoyed it but due to the prices probably won't go back.
(3)
Chris M.
I know it may add to their authenticity, but their servings are not very generous. The food was interesting - I went on a suggestion from a fellow yelper and split an appetizer dish with my girlfriend - a platter sampling a bunch of different foods - and then got naan. The food was all good, just not really enough for a meal. We went here with my family for a birthday dinner, and none of the other dishes (actual entrees) were that big either. The atmosphere/service also could've been better.
(3)
David Y.
Went here for the lunch buffet ($10). Nice decor and good service. The buffet dishes were largely hit or miss. The selection for a weekend buffet was pretty small. There was 2 non-meat dishes and 3 meat dishes. Most of them were too salty. The chicken tikka masala was great. Some of the best I've ever had. The other meat dishes were fine but it really seemed like it was just chicken dishes. Their eggplant dish on the other hand was horrible. The eggplant was so soggy and everything felt greasy - yuck. The buffet came with a choice of naan so we got some garlic naan that was excellent. The jasmine rice in the buffet was really dry but we did come in at the tail end of the buffet so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. If there were a couple of additional dishes to try I probably would've been truly satisfied. But even though I was stuffed when leaving, I definitely left wanting a little something more.
(3)
Lauren L.
I used to LOVE this place when I lived in Arlington but I just went back today and it was not great so now I'm SUPER embarrassed that I've been telling everyone how great it is. SORRY!
(2)
Susannah W.
Kathmandu Spice's website now lists what is on their buffet each day! Now I can go online and decide if that's really where I want to head for lunch, instead of showing up and being disappointed that they had cauliflower instead of eggplant (what can I say... I LOATHE cauliflower). Thanks for the improvement, Kathmandu Spice.
(5)
John W.
Phenomenal South Asian food. The Nepalese brunch on Sunday is the best value in the area with AMAZING food. I tasted spices I've never had anywhere else. The Nepalese owner is gracious and friendly and did a great job creating a modern yet traditional comfortable environment. Highly recommend Kathmandu Spice.
(5)
Fred A.
I'm waffling between 3 and 4 stars so settling on 3 because of a comple small negatives. We had the lunch buffet on a Saturday afternoon. The buffet was rather sparse, with only about 6 dishes. We liked the lamb curry and the nepalese rice pancakes, both of which ran out while we were there, but at least the lamb curry was replenished; the pancakes never were. They did have the best, fresh-made garlic naan we've had in quite a while. The dining room is smallish and a little bit crowded, but quite acceptable, clean and orderly. I would like to go back to try it out during dinner hours, as most Indian buffets are, well, Indian buffets, and this one was not outstanding.
(3)
A T.
If you haven't already figured - I love momos. I can sell my soul for them, literally. So how did I end up tasting their momos when I live at Kenmore?? If only this was a million dollar question, which it isn't..so umm..where was I? Oh the momos.. I was at the last Oktoberfest (no, you didn't see me doing the honky tonk in weird leather clothes) and was hungry as hell when I lay my eyes on this little stall in a corner which read CHICKEN MOMOS - $5. I was sold. Are you kidding me?? Seven pieces of heavenly delight for $5?? Now Im pretty sure that was just a promotional price at the fest but whatever. I loved their momos and the spicy sauce they serve with it. Love them to death.
(4)
Martha M.
nice clean ambience BUT the most tempting plate on the menu the Mixed Meat Sizzler was rather dry, overcooked and accompanied with vegatables which was mostly onions. Most Indian restaurant provde an assortment of sauces to go with your Naan, though not at this restaurant. Leaving me asking for extra sauce and do not like to be an inconvience. The small bowl of sauce was not enough. I love super spicy and there just wasnt enough flavor for me. Though my date was never had any Indian-type cuisine she thought swordfish entree was good. I aggreed with her though normally I'm not a fan of fish covered in sauce as I fear the chef is attempting to cover up bad fish. Entire meal was over priced and the only way I would return is to try out the $9.95 Lunch Buffet, perhaps there is some extra sauces and spices with the buffet. Waitress did fill the water and was friendly and attentive.
(2)
Victoria T.
Delicious food! I do not understand why this place isn't crowded all the time. The prices are totally reasonable and the food is unique and quite tasty. We order take out a lot from here and have not been disappointed! It is also a quiet and cozy place for a date night dinner:) Also there is always parking on Mass Ave or free parking on side streets. Try it!
(5)
S S.
Went to dinner with a friend. The food was quite excellent, however, the service was a bit slow. Also, don't sit in any of the booths. The booths were so flimsy that every time the person behind me moved or stretched, I was pushed forward involuntarily, which is quite distracting when you're trying to enjoy a meal. If not for the slow service and bad seating, I would have given this place 5 stars.
(3)
Henry C.
Uh, gourmet Nepalese? Smallish portions of nicely prepared, mostly vegetarian dishes. This review based on takeout. Tangy eggplant was surprisingly tangy (in a good way). The Golden Gobi were delicious, as was the Malai tikki, whose chicken was tender despite grilling. Vegetable momos were yummy too, and the Naan (garlic) was some of the best around here. The moderately but not excessive prices per dish belie their very small portion size. Their entrees size like tapas plates. If you value quality and healthful eating over quantity, this is your place. But if you are really hungry, you might be dissatisfied or go broke, one or the other. Your best bet might be to order mostly appetizers, a lot of Naan, and entrees sparingly, since the portion size difference between entrees and appetizers is not all that much.
(4)
G G.
Went here with my wife for dinner a few days ago. Overall, good atmosphere, although the room was really loud (probably more the patrons than bad accoustics, but... seriously, we had to yell to each other at times to be heard). We liked the appetizers we had... I got the chicken momos (I'm a huge dumpling fan, and I've always loved the momos at the several Tibetan restaurants I've been to). They hit the spot. My wife had the tuna spring roll, which she liked. The tuna wasn't quite to the standards of a good sushi place, but the roll was lightly fried... not greasy like many Chinese eggrolls are. The main courses, however, were a letdown. My wife had the Vegetable Curry, which was tasty, but oily. She often complains of this at Indian places, but this time I had t agree with her, seeing how much orange-tinted oil was covering her dish. I ordered the Shrimp Moilee, which was "juicy shrimp in a mustard-flavored coconut sauce." Huge disappointment, and a major ripoff. I got a 12" plate covered in sauce with 10 small-to-medium shrimp and two lonely plum tomatoes on it. Considering it's a $18 item, it was hugely underwhelming... I can't recall ever having been served such a barren plate in a restaurant. The sauce was tasty, but really tasted like a generic coconut-based sauce. Couldn't they have at least put some vegetables on it? Ater eating the 10 shrimp (I don't do raw tomatoes) I basically had a useless plate of sauce left. I won't be rushing back here. Which is a pity, since the menu at least looks different than all of the run-of-the-mill Indian places I've tried over the years.
(2)
Kanti S.
I had high hopes about this restaurant after having read the 44 reviews on Yelp and was very disappointed after the first (and perhaps the only time) I went there. Being a Nepali, I did have high expectations for this place.The only good thing was Goat Curry and even that, they did not refill the buffet section even after we requested the waiter numerous times. In fact, there was not much of any food left. We ordered momos and they were the blandest momos I have had. The service was terrible. All in all, it was a disappointment. If I go back, I suppose I will just get goat curry!
(1)
Brett M.
Gave this place a try and was really impressed! The ingredients were fresh and the flavors were well balanced and delightful. In summary... yum yum. I am no authority on the authenticity of Nepalese dishes, but I can say that everything I ordered was very good. A dish I highly recommend is 'Shrimp Moilee' with curry leaf rice. Can't wait to go back and try more!
(4)
Adrienne A.
4 stars for lunch buffet 1 for dinner The buffet is amazing and varied - excellent vegetarian dishes and several with meat. I am a real carnivore, but have liked all the dishes they put out. The funny thing is that they must have a different chef for dinner (or maybe we slipped through a worm hole to another world?). When I brought my mother I was embarrassed by the food. Both of our meals were terrible (hers was was fire-hot when she asked for mild, mine strangely tasteless and the lamb was like leather), and they forgot the bread. It was on the I'm-not-sure-this-is-worth-it expensive level even if it had been a simply good meal. This was a particularly unwelcome surprise because it was supposed to be a birthday dinner. Since then, when I drive by, I rarely see anyone in there for dinner - perhaps people know this and don't want to write a bad review because their buffet is so good. The staff is always cheerful and helpful, and the ambiance is nice. The food is fabulous for the lunch buffet - so I give them 4 stars, because I WILL be back for that.
(4)
Mihir P.
I had a very disappointing lunch buffet experience. Perhaps all the positive reviews set me up for it! The food was basically Punjabi Indian food. I know that some Nepalese dishes are similar but I was hoping the other Nepalese choices were offered. Not sure why this restaurant didn't differentiate from the slew of Indian restaurants in the area. But even rating it as a Punjabi restaurant, I found the food to be mediocre. Very dry tandoori chicken, standardized chicken curry and korma. But the nine-bean soup was very flavorful and nutritious and the spicy potatos has potential.
(2)
Evan L.
Tried this place out on a Groupon for the lunch buffet. It was a small buffet but the food was excellent. The choices were curried cabbage (delicious!), curried chickpeas (also very good), rice with cumin seeds (loved it), and another type of rice, and tandoori chicken (it was okay--there were only a couple pieces left with over an hour to go on the buffet and they didn't refill so i might have just gotten the small pieces no one wanted), pretty basic salad, and one other dish i'm forgetting. The only thing I didn't like was their "suji" dessert, which was some sort of mix of grain, sugar, cinnamon, and some other sweet stuff... it was incredibly sweet and gritty (like a farina or polenta). it does come with a choice or regular or garlic naan which was freshly prepared per table and delicious. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I would return.
(4)
Jeanette D.
First Nepalese meal and I adored it. There were so many great vegetarian choices, and everything we ordered had amazing spice. Nice and hot for my spice loving taste buds. I highly reccommend the chili cheese naan, which was almost too hot for me, and i loved it! had a great glass of rioja with my meal as well. only one small complaint... i would've loved a second glass of wine, but the waiter didn't check in on us to make that a possibility. agree with the comment on the momos, perfectly accompanied by the sauce. nice, warm atmosphere. great little joint for a relaxing meal.
(5)
Heather B.
My friend took me there for a little b-day lunch yesterday. I really enjoyed the food and the ambiance is delightful as well. I look forward to going back at dinner time. Loved the okra and the green bean potato curry! I would put this up there as my new fave for Indian. Is it Indian? Nepalese? OK, my favorite for Nepalese!
(4)
Sam C.
Chicken Momo app was good and the "Chicken Steak Masala" was the best version of "tika masala" I have ever tasted. Will definitely go back. Small portions but that's fine.
(4)
Paul G.
The $8.95 lunch buffet is the way to go. I never leave hungry, the selection of dishes available and the accompanying sauces just right. Just be sure to choose the Garlic Naan over the plain, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Claire M.
Delicious. Tasteful decorations. A little on the pricey side, but it's worth it. Both menu and buffet are good.
(5)
Mark B.
A+. We formerly lived nearby, and used to order take out repeatedly. Then we had a child, and took him several times. Reverse order, I know. But, they couldn't be more lovely. Miracle soups. Crazy skewers. Tuna rolls to write home about. And, outstanding dishes that you aren't going to find in most Asian or Indian restaurants. This place is one of my favorites in Boston or Chicago (and I've eaten at Charlie Trotters', Alinea, L'Espalier, O-Ya, etc). Not to sound snooty, but you gotta know that this place is top notch for food.
(5)
Xin S.
I was not a fan. I was excited when they did a Groupon as I had wanted to try Himalayan food. My dinner was very MEH. The momos were kind of bland and my entree was forgettable. We also got the special dinner which was also disappointing and SMALL. Even with the Groupon it felt overpriced for the food. Would not return.
(2)
Lara S.
A great little restaurant. I particularly recommend the the cheese dumplings.
(4)
Christopher N.
I like this place a lot. The food is spicy if you wish and the Momos are amazing. The food is reasonably priced and the service has always been great.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Kate M.
Maybe we came here on an off night but I really felt our food lacked a significant amount of flavor. The staff was nice and attentive and the decor was cool, but I sort of understand why there's never really anyone dining there. I'd give it a second shot someday, when I've run out of other delicious places to try in Arlington.
(2)Maria P.
I think that this is an awesome restaurant, the menu is a good mix of Nepali and Indian food. My friends and I were in a bit of a hurry because we were watching a Hindi movie at the Capitol theater next door, they brought the food out pretty fast but that just might be because we ordered appetizers instead of entrees. My friends liked the little soy beans chaat sort of thing they served before we ate. One of my friends had the kwatti soup and it was amazing, perfectly spiced. My other friend had the chicken momos and it was pretty good too, moist and not too thick. I had the malai tikka with an aloo paratha. The malai tikka was succulent and cooked perfectly. The aloo paratha on the other hand was a dissappointment, it just didn't taste right. Maybe they added too many peas? It seemed more like an aloo naan as opposed to a paratha. Service was decent although it was unusually hard to locate a waiter/waitress, they kept disappearing into the kitchen at the same time. I think they don't lay on the oil/butter or spices like most Indian restaurants in the area, so that in itself earns them an extra star. But they lose one for the aloo paratha and the service. All said and done, I can't wait to go back.
(4)Shivani G.
Great food, a bit pricey, but you pay for the presentation and decor. Love the tangy, butter-like quality of the eggplant and the momos! I would go here on a special occasion and hit up Mt. Everest for my everyday fare.
(3)Cecilia B.
We had a nice quiet dinner on Sunday night - the decor is lovely with lots of presumably Nepali artifacts. We sat at the booths - and on both sides the seats move (please fix them to the floor as it is very disruptive to have your neighbor get up and you be forced forward into the table!). The offered soy beans - crunchy with garlic and fresh ginger - were delicious and a good insight into the spicy tasty food to come. We were blown away by the Kwatti bean soup - definitely had the promised variety of beans but the spicing was unusual and delicious. The veggie momos were super tasty and the spicy tomato sauce as well. The Aloo Achar was disappointing - potato salad with onions and peas but no evidence of the sesame seeds and nothing special. We tried the goat curry, which had tasty chunks of goat in a yummy sauce, and the veggie curry, which had a variety of veggies in a delicious sauce. Overall, the flavors were interesting and intense, spicy but not unbearable, and definitely fresh. Service was fine and the wine selection good. The special spiced yougurt dessert was not too much and refreshing. A wonderful find - and definitely worth a trip back and recommendations to friends/family.
(4)Abby R.
We had been dying to try this place for ages (when I say we, what I really mean is my husband.) We had the momos, I had the combo plate, and my husband had the shrimp lo mein. All in all we weren't too impressed. The food was okay but nothing super exciting. I liked the combo plate and the service was great in terms of them being flexible, but we found it nothing to rave about and we won't be going back. It's too bad, I really wanted to like it!
(3)nicholas w.
hot damn, that was good. i just got home from having dinner at kathmandu spice with my lady, and i am seriously full. the decor is simple and very tasteful. soft music, real napkins, heavy cutlery, etc... there's probably 12 tables in the place. the staff seem really great. our waiter was attentive and a little standoffish until asked for a recommendation. then he was very friendly. it's also just a few doors down from the capitol theater, which makes it an even better place for a date! i'm not terribly familiar with nepalese food. the menu seemed very similar to indian food, but what came out was cleaner and simpler than most indian. it leaned away from cream or dense spices. i'm excited to try more. they started us off with some toasted soybeans which were delicious. we shared the khaja appetizer, which is toasted rice with small portions of a spicy potato salad, savory, marinated grilled chicken, and a bean soup. all three were very tasty and they complimented each other well. i had the mutton meatballs, which were almost buttery they were so soft. it came in a delicious, simple tomato sauce. she had the goat curry at the recommendation of our waiter and it was great too... a simple curry sauce that leaned more towards broth than coconut milk or cream. not very spicy at all, and she ordered medium. the goat was on the bone and just the right amount of gamey... a little tough but very flavorful. great rice and naan came with the entrees. it's a touch on the expensive side... all of that plus a couple of big kingfishers came to $55 (before tip) but the portions were hearty and the food was all delicious, clean, and beautiful. i like this joint! i'll definitely go back.
(4)S S.
I love this place on Mass Ave. Nothing pretenious or uber fancy, yet really yummy food! Its as close to Nepalese food as it gets in MA. You should try the Momos and the tofu manchurian! The food is super spicy so you might have to ask for the medium spicy option. ( This is if you can tolerate spicy!). My sinus were all cleansed after this meal though :P The staff is really friendly and the place is very resonably priced. Its a good place to go on a low key night or when you have craving for spicy food! Oh and more recommendation try the roti instead of the Naan!
(4)sunny n.
Bostons first Nepali Restnt !!! I was fortunate to go with a great Nepali friend of mine..who walked me through... Momos, Chicken Chilli and Kwatti which are finally here in beantown..!!! Spicy and full of flavour in smooth cozy dim lighting decor....you need to be someone who enjoys tangy or spicy food!! Waitstaff is quite courteous and the corner location on Mass Ave is key with ample street parking.
(4)Lynne C.
Nice change from local Indian restaurants - liked the Tibetan influence. Enjoyed the vegetarian appetizer platter, but the momos are not as good as House of Tibet in Teele Square Somerville. Nice decor and good service (we were there on a very busy night). The menu states that there can be a 20 minute wait for entrees as everything is made to order. Worth the wait. I will definitely be back.
(4)Brandon L.
The best North Indian food I've ever had in Boston area. What makes this place so distinguished is that unlike most Indian restaurants where they prepare the buckets of curry sauce ahead of time, their food is much more fresh. They have the best goat curry and some of the apetizers, especially the vegetable ones are just amazing. This is truly a place where the chef cares about food and gives her best.
(5)S A.
This is one of the best restaurants for Indian food in the Boston area. I know its a Nepalese restaurant, but has a variety of Indian dishes (Trust me, Crab Chettinad is not Nepalese, but South Indian). The kebabs are excellent, the sizzler was above any Indian sizzler platter I have had in the Boston area. I have already been there twice in two weeks, and plan on having their lunch buffet before the end of February. The waitresses are very nice, and service is generally very good. Good decor and atmosphere. Try the momos, Chilly Chicken, Kathmandu sizzler platter. Ask them to tone down the spice if you are not into hot food. UPDATE: 8-26-2007 The last few times I went to Kathmandu Spice, I was saddened to notice it had followed the path many Indian have followed -- start off good, become mediocre in a few months. The dinner served didn't taste fresh. The lamb felt tough to chew. The food tasted like it had been nuked in the microwave. The dessert (Dudh Bhari) tasted like it had been made with bad milk. The wait staff is still courteous. And oh yes, please check your check for any additional bottles of beer you didn't order. Have seen mistakes on that a couple of times before. Not sure when/if I'll go there any time soon.
(3)Britt H.
very delicious. the spicy okra entree is the best--not gooey. a la carte dinner menu is better than buffet lunch.
(4)Gabe L.
I was excited when I found a Nepali restaurant in Boston. It turned out to be worth the trip! The momos were drier than I expected - when I'd had them before they had the soup in them like chinese dumplings. Here they didn't, and the tops were slightly dehydrated, like they'd been standing. However, they were still very tasty, and the sauce was excellent. And, the buddha's delight wasn't to my taste, although obviously well made. We enjoyed the goat curry far more, and it disappeared all too quickly. The clear winner, however, was the tuna spring roll. While the momos were disappointing to me I think it might only because I'd been so spoiled when I'd had them before. The food was all finely made, with quality ingredients. The environment was dimly lit providing a warm atmosphere. The parking is easy, the waitstaff is very courteous. We didn't touch the winelist but I noticed that there was a wine from India I wanted to try next time. And there will definitely be a next time! Update: 9/24/07: Went a few weeks back and had the same tasty results. The food is authentic from my limited experience. I definitely recommend to try it out!
(4)Nancy D.
Sunday dinner was fabulous! The atmosphere was cozy... just a few tables with soft music in the background. We started our order with the Kathmandu Platter which was a nice sampler for the 3 of us. We had the Curry Lamb, a fish dish and rice with shrimp and veggies for our dinner. Nan comes with some dishes, but reviews recommended the Spicy Chili Nan, so we got that too. We had plenty of food and every bite was delicious. We were concerned about the service after reading a few Yelp reviews, but our server was great (not overly friendly, but attentive). We used a Groupon coupon, so dinner for 3 was only $40 including tip. The only complaint... no full bar service, only wine and beer and we are martini drinkers. Oh well.
(5)S S.
We chose this place because the menu looked different from the usual Indian spread that you get in Nepalese restaurants. It definitely has a different spread, we tried the Tofu Manchurian and Tangy Eggplant with the veggie momos to start with. It has a more Asian/Thai flavor than we expected but 10 times more spicy to ensure that it was not losing its South Asian character. Service was definitely lack-luster and very matter-of-fact. It is not as exotic as it looks on their website, but the food is reasonably good.
(3)karan K.
This is one of the best South Asian restaurants in the Boston area and offers an excellent alternative to the cheap Indian restaurants that dot Central and Davis squares. Along with Guru the caterer, this place should satisfy all your cravings for North Indian food. Try the Khaja an appetizer with fried flattened rice, chicken and vegetable. Something like Bhelpuri if you have had it. Their buffet is real value for money especially the lamb curry, chicken skewers and the bhindi masala. Now only if someone would open a decent South Indian restaurant or a Knokani/ Goan one
(5)Alana-Nicole D.
My boyfriend and I went here for a Saturday lunch buffet (11-3). For $8.95 we had our choice of naan and rice all we could eat of five dishes, a soup selection and a dessert selection. Despite coming in at the tail end of the buffet time the food was still plentiful and warm. The selection was wonderful with great flavors, great atmosphere, and comfortable seating. We will definitely be back to have dinner.
(5)Naomi U.
I was shocked to find the sign on the door today saying: Thank you for your support and patronage for 10 years. Our thanks to Arlington community and our neighbors. The business is now closed. Please feel free to communicate via our Facebook page.
(5)David T.
So far this is my favorite Nepalese place. I could eat their Momos all day long. The only downside is they are not at all geared up for family style. They decided to go American style and dropped all support for sharing meals. Everything is an entree that comes with its own rice or naan. This gets very wasteful if you are ordering lots of dishes to share.
(4)Timothy T.
Lunch Buffet $9.95 (closed on Tuesdays) The venue is on the nicer side, and is good enough for a date-type affair. Servers are nice and prompt. There is no parking lot, so street parking is the only option. Lunch buffet options appear to change daily, and their website is updated with the menu for the day. When I went, there were only 2 meat options: tandoori chicken and a fusion style chicken and broccoli. There were 3 other vegetarian entrées, 2 types of rice, soup and dessert. Kathmandu has the best garlic naan I have ever had - hands down. Crispy on the outside, and a whole lot of chewy after that. I was amazed because it was prepared within less than a minute of my order (I was the only one in the restaurant), yet it seemed to be fresh out the oven. As for the rest of the food, despite being towards the end of the buffet time at ~2:15, everything was still relatively fresh. Both of the chicken dishes were incredibly moist and tender, more so than any other buffet I have been to, and more than most restaurants are able to accomplish made-to-order. The unfortunate side of things is that the food was all relatively bland, despite the high quality. After sampling all of their options for the day, there were none I was eager to get seconds of. With my stomach still a ways from capacity and a long night ahead, I opted for their fusion chicken and broccoli dish, coupled with the sauce from one of their vegetarian dishes for my naan, to bring me to dessert. (^_^) Venue (^_-) Buffet options (^_^) Quality (-_-) Taste (^_^) Bang for buck Glad I came. Overall, a decent option for buffet, especially given the paucity of buffets in the vicinity. I will most likely try them again, but I cannot recommend one going out of his or her way for the buffet.
(3)Mary G.
Not closed! I was just here yesterday! Saffron shrimp are still as good as ever.
(5)Melissa M.
We arrived at the buffet at 12:30 and waited 25 mins before the tandoori chicken was replenished. Unfortunately it was pink to the bone. There were the empty dishes at the buffet so we returned to our chair with a salad. The waitress finally brought out more food but the group who had just arrived beat us to the line. I felt so defeated. As soon as the chicken came out me and 5 others who were also waiting nearly tripped over each other to get to it. Pathetic! There is no excuse not to be ready for the lunch crowd on a Friday when you have a lunch buffet until 3!
(2)Ann Marie F.
This is great food. Most of the menu is familiar to people who like Indian food, but some things are Nepali, so unique dishes, and others are familiar "Indian" dishes but with unfamiliar names. Everything we had was very tasty. The free little soybean appetizer was a nice surprise. The portions were substantial, and the sauces were delicious. My only (minor) complaints were that the wait staff were a little bit bored and/or unsure of themselves, and the food is at least a couple of dollars more expensive than a comparable Indian restaurant in the Cambridge/Arlington area. But we'll be back once in a while for some extra-special food! NOTE: They are CLOSED on TUESDAYS. Every Tuesday. There's a sign on the door, not sure about the website, but don't try to go on a Tuesday. Because they will be closed.
(4)Isabella R.
The food here is beyond phenomenal. I highly recommend it. The saffron shrimp for appetizer were divine. 4 stars only because service was very very slow. They had only 1 lady for the whole place of a Friday night so things took a little longer than they should have. Aside from that the food is phenomenal!
(4)Moumita B.
More Indian than Kathmandu I guess. Very tasty.
(4)Zoe L.
Love! I'd drive an hour to eat here; it's worth it. The khanti soup claims to have 9 different beans in it; I didn't count them, but the soup's flavor is comfortingly spicy-ish (not hot though). Most of the menu consists of hearty, filling food (I say most because I haven't tried everything, but maybe some day that dream will come true). Some veggie options, not sure about vegan. I could have eaten an entree of just potatoes in the veggie curry sauce. There's a buffet too, but I didn't even look at those options. Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town.
(4)Looking F.
awesome food . they serve nice soya starter . platter was expensive there were very few pieces of meat on it . we also orders chicken momos they were excellent as well as tomato soup . will go there again
(4)Henry Z.
Both vegetable platter and lamb biryani are wonderful. Nice decoration. Only con is it takes a long wait for the dishes to be served even we are the only customer in store, probably due to everything is prepared from scratch and carefully. I think it is worthy to wait!
(5)Vaishali B.
Delicious food! love the dumplings and lamb, definitely recommend this awesome place!
(5)Nicole A.
Really great food. The dumplings are amazing!!!!
(5)Maureen D.
Yummy $10 lunch buffet. We all left stuffed and satisfied!
(4)Paul S.
If I want Indian food, I drive on past all the local Indian restaurants and head on over to Kathmandu Spice. The Nepali food is a close cousin to what you find at an Indian restaurant, but it offers enough different menu items to break away from the same old same old. The momos are fresh, with a tangy spicy sauce. They also have a tomato soup that is probably the best I have ever eaten.
(5)Teresa C.
Loved the food! At the advice of our server we ordered the Veg Mo Mos, Tangy Eggplant and Tofu Manchurian. We look forward to coming back and trying the other dishes.
(5)Aaditya S.
Hard to find vegetarian dumplings around in boston, but this place serves the best vegetarian dumplings. I like almost everything I are at this restaurant, all the tarkaris and bread. In my opinion this place serves the best Nepali food around in boston
(5)A O.
I had never had Nepalese food before, so didn't know what to expect. I am happy to report that I was VERY pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere is calming, and our waitress was very pleasant. They give you a bowl of crunchy soybeans/ginger/lime/parsley before the meal that are delicious. We had vegetable momos and garlic naan to start. Both were impressive, the naan was heavy on garlic and parsley and was excellent. I had the tangy eggplant.. The eggplant was cooked TO PERFECTION. I have never had such perfectly cooked eggplant before!! It came with rice and there was plenty for leftovers. I love this restaurant, I cant wait to go back and try other things on the menu!!!
(5)Zoe P.
I'm surprised by the negative reviews, but then again, I'm not. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate a really good restaurant, especially when you've probably got a favorite Indian dive that you like just fine that's a few bucks cheaper. But this is not that place, and not just because they've got momos on the menu. They cook the food with care. The chicken in our masala was moist and tender enough to cut with a fork and suffused with flavor. The green snap peas were fresh and crisp and not one but two tables asked us what the dish was, it was so vibrantly delicious-looking. The okra was delicately spiced, and soft, sweet, slimy (as it should be) and earthy underneath. The nice folks here like to share what they do. The raw ginger and garlic with roasted soy nuts is a sophisticated little appetizer and a charming freebie and not something I would have known to order. It has a crunch and burn that is the perfect start to a meal and a good accompaniment with a glass of wine. Speaking of which, the French Chardonnay is good. And the dinner portions are large. I don't think I've ever eaten that much okra at one sitting and we were too full for dessert. The only disappointment: we found the food a little on the mild side, but that's because we, um, ordered it mild. Next time we'll ask for a bit more heat. Still, the flavors were complex enough that the food wasn't dull, and the heat grew on me slowly. We'd gotten take-out from here before and the food doesn't travel that well. The dining room is pretty and very relaxing and although it was quiet when we got there, the place filled up with all sorts of folks enjoying the dinner portion of dinner and a movie.
(4)Tenzin C.
i feel as though i am not in a position to even rate this place! i am love nepalese food, i crave it in my dreams its the taste of my motherland. when i heard of this place i was so excited but then THEY WERE RANDOMLY CLOSED, then i went a second time... and it was TUESDAY. so AGAIN- closed. and i just went now and they were CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE EVENT. this is not anyones fault. Ill just never be back. i gave them 3 chances an they turned me away with an empty stomach all three times.
(2)Jude M.
Just went again to Katmandu - food is superb. Service is not so - that's why 4 stars - otherwise 5 stars. The goat is great, the grilled food is a bit on the well done side, but I am sure if I asked for med-rare I would have gotten it that way. The mint sauce is very, very mild and wonderful. I had been here about 5 years ago and remembered how great the food was - now I remember why I had such fond memories of the food. A must try.
(4)Nhi N.
The food here is so yummy! the flavor is close to Indian food (obviously) but a bit lighter on the spices (which I like) and a bit more unfamiliar (since Nepalese food is not easy to find around here) in a good way. The desserts are excellent! They're very similar to desserts you can get from any Indian grocery stores, but 10 times better :) Love this place!
(4)Marty M.
Food was above average. I love the lunch buffet. Delicious nan, tandoori chicken and curry. The only bad experience was the service. Our waitress was unfriendly and did not want to be there. We had to ask for water and refills. We plates were not removed and piled up. One of the worst service experience.
(3)Lillian P.
Yummy!!!! I am suprised this place doesnt have higher reviews. I got chicken curry which was pretty yummy, but my fiancee got the chicken steak and omg that was orgasmic. It was so tender it was falling off the bone...the sauce had really sunk into the meat also. It was the one of the best dishes I have ever tasted. Defiantly recommend this place.
(5)Lib L.
We just had a wonderful dinner at Kathmandu Spice in East Arlington. Apparently one of only 2? Nepalese restaurants in the Boston area. Wonderful, unusual, yummy flavors -- combination of the two neighboring countries-- India and China. Recommend the shrimp moilee w mustard flavored coconut sauce and the chicken or veg momo dumplings with incredible zippy flavored sauce which is on the side. Yummy Naan and brown rice.
(5)Robert V.
This place is great! Really interesting mix of Nepali and Indian dishes. Great Momos (Nepali dumplings). Delish noodle dishes and curries. Nice home made naan as well. Surprisingly extensive wines by the glass for an inexpensive ethnic spot. Nice service and cute decor. Nothing too fancy, but a real find in Arlington. This place should be jammed!
(5)Dannie W.
I went to this restaurant because I saw a lot of good reviews of the lunch buffet. But I was kind of disappointed. Well, the goat curry and tandoori chicken tasted ok like other restaurants. The goat meat was a little chewy and had a lot of big bones even though the sauce tasted good. There were too few options for buffet. There are only 2 meat dishes (mentioned above). There are salad, white rice, kwatti, cauliflower and potato curry, mustard green, kheer and naan. The options are a lot fewer than in other buffet restaurants with similar price range. It does not worth the money especially for vegetarians. I don't think I will ever go for the lunch special again.
(2)Joanna F.
Stopped in for the lunch buffet to use my Groupon with the boyfriend and some friends. I had a $40 Groupon and four of us got the buffet for basically that exact amount of money. What a deal! The service definitely left something to be desired, but the food was fresh and delicious. As usual, there weren't a ton of options at the buffet (which seems pretty typical for Indian/Nepalese restaurants), but everything we sampled was really good. I could have used more freshly baked naan (again, the service left something to be desired), but overall great value for the price.
(4)John C.
Buffets. what do you expect when you go to a buffet? i expect a ton of B-C level food that all taste somewhat the same. Not fair for this place considering my bias right? groupon had a little sale that gave us two free buffets (well, it came out to 1.90) so we decided to go in. we get there at around 11:50 and they had just opened. there was one customer inside. he seemed to come straight out of a movie. large man, in all green sweats and stuffing his face. there was food on his chest, on his face and he apparently has never learned the purpose of a napkin. his coke had a cooked onion hanging off the brim of the glass. no matter how hungry you are, no matter how good the food smells, that image will find that chink in your armor and keep dinging away. with that said, the food was pretty decent. it wasn't any better or worse than your typical tibetan/nepalese food. it was just unlimited. i like unlimited, call me libertarian, but i like to chose when i should stop eating, not the plate. there was a small salad offering, a couple nepalese pancakes, chow meins and spiced cauliflower. all of it was was B-C quality. i enjoyed most of it, the spices were a nice touch, really helped clear my sunday morning sinuses. we were offered some naan. the naan was good, definitely home made and definitely better than any naan i've ever had from a restaurant. as i'm eating i look over at the big guy who continues to stuff himself and i see something short of genius. he took a naan and stuffed it, then rolled it up. i know the restaurant had a sign that said himilayan fusion but i never expected it to be fused with mexican! he made a naan burrito. being a fatty at heart i followed. great idea! that should earn the restaurant another star, but it wasn't their idea, it was his. when judging one of these small ethnic restaurants i always do one thing. check out the bathroom. how a bathroom is kept will give you an idea of how the restaurant, more importantly the kitchen is kept. the bathroom was small, cold and most importantly, not very clean. the place just opened so it wasn't because patrons dirtied it over the course of the day. it was just not well cleaned .the walls had snots on them. the corners had dust... bathrooms are the one place where people are alone. there is nothing that influences their thoughts about your restaurant other than how clean it is or how comfortable it is. no matter how good your food is you will be downgraded if your bathroom is small, cold and dirty. all in all, for 7 bucks lunch for 2 it was a pretty damn good deal. i could see myself spending 16 bucks total with tips for a meal like this. but at the suggested price of 22 before tips. nahh thanks.
(2)Anne W.
I was craving some Indian food and thought.. I didn't want to go to Punjab. I have an adversion to that place because their food isn't hot.. it's just warm. This place makes their food look pretty but... meh on the taste. I got their Kathmandu appetizer plate that had a variety of things. I saw dumplings and I was surprised. I thought.. hey, maybe it's different. They have chutney as dipping sauces instead of soy sauce. Nope.. I think it's still better with soy sauce. Tried their goat curry... which was good but too little goat. And tried their lamb biryiani... it was okay. Expensive for what you get.. at least that's what I think. They need to make their portions bigger.. Quiet date place.. service is not really too great. Filled our water only once and didn't really ask us what we thought of the food.
(2)Denise M.
This place was great!! Yummy to my tummy and heaven to the taste buds!! Actually found this place last night by searching on Yelp.. THANK YOU my fellow Yelp community members!! The steamed dumplings were tender, and a nice low fat alternative to the typical greasy fried appetizers you might find on some restaurant menu, although for those who prefer there are fried options as well. The sauce for the appetizer provides the heat for the dish, I chose spicy, always love the heat! The waiter actually brought over extra sauce after I used the entire container of sauce for my dumplings. For my entree I ordered the lamb curry, extra spice. The sauce was not thick and rich like many Indian curry sauces, that was a plus for me. The spice level wasn't as hot as I expected but the meat was tender, The longer lamb is simmered the more tender and less fat on the meat. This is the only reason for the missing 5th star. Next time I will emphasis, I can take the heat. Often my lilly white Irish heritage does not portray the actual amount of heat I can endure and enjoy. I came alone and felt comfortable here and actually emailed a friend today to make a date to come back together. Great little place close to home.
(4)Lynne S.
Walking into Kathmandu Spice Restaurant you're met my a big wall. At first I thought it could be a rather high reception area, but it was the end of a row of booths with a sign that says "Please wait to be seated." Really? Wait where? And for how long? There was literally no place to stand besides right in front of the door and it was a good 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us and about 5 more before we were actually seated. Ok rough start, it happens. We were looking for a real Nepalese experience so we started with the Kathmandu appetizer platter, which was a sampling of momo, shrimp, goat sekewa and malai tikka. I've had momo before and I love them, but these were just okay, as was the shrimp. The goat was good, but the chicken ... Ahhh the chicken! It was the saving grace of the dish. It was tender, juicy and very flavorful. And when you dipped it in the mint chutney it was even better. Yum! For entrees, we couldn't decide between the lamb curry and the roasted quail, so we decided to order both and split them. They both came with either a plain naan or basmati rice. The quail was excellent. Although there wasn't much meat, the chef's special green mint sauce was strong and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed dipping my soft, fluffy naan in it once the quail was gone. The lamb in the curry was very tender and delicious. But besides a rather runny sauce, that's really all that was in the curry. Overall, the food was good, but nothing life-changing. After we were through, we waited another 10 or so minutes for them to clear our plates and bring our check. They should really think about changing the layout of the restaurant and perhaps having a host. I would have enjoyed our experience much more if the service had been a bit more attentive.
(3)Eva A.
I reallly liked this place. Unlike many Indian restaurants, the food was not overly spicy or heartburn- inducing. As someone who suffers with bad heartburn, I would know. I think all of their food is fresh and spiced perfectly and everything from the lentil soup to the actual entree was fabulous and I would certainly go there again. Great experience.
(5)Kyle Marie C.
This is the most AMAZING restaurant !!! The food is CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT, all the freshest ingredients, made to order, friendly service, quiet and able to converse easily, comfortable booths to sit in !!! By far one of the BEST restaurants in Arlington, right near the movie theater. I have been to Nepal many times and the food here is AUTHENTIC and quite delicious. Many Nepalese frequent this restaurant, one of the best in the Boston area. Check it out, you will be very satisfied.
(5)Charlotte G.
The goat curry is amazing! It really can't be missed. The lunch buffet was also really stellar... Good enough to make me come back for dinner!
(4)K B.
Nice cozy place to eat in Arlington. Food was yummy and just right with the spice. We tried Chicken tikka, Daal, bhaat alo pratahs . Everything was just right. Service is quick and helping. Defiantly a must visit place :)
(4)Gene G.
I have been there for dinner with my family. The food was mediocre and fairly expensive even with a coupon. Service was indifferent, meat dry, garnishes too salty, soup cold. This place has significantly declined over the years. Several years ago it was a gem in this neighborhood, with memorable food and friendly and attentive staff. Alas no more.
(2)Jo B.
I frequent this restaurant and the House Naan, Pakura and Biryani is to die for. Much better than any of the Indian restaurants around. The service is terrific and the food is prepared fresh.
(5)J C.
Zoe P review is very accurate...food is prepared with fresh ingredients and with care. Cuisine has similarities to Indian dishes...quality seems to be higher than the norm. Price point is good...naan or rice comes with each dish ordered. Highly recommended.
(5)Art H.
Visited again for a business lunch. Highly recommend the buffet and especially the lentils. Nice decor, too, and very good service. Highly recommended as a refreshing and tasty alternative to other Asian cuisine.
(4)Ed M.
Came in here on a Friday night for dinner with our Groupon and it was reasonably crowded. We did not have to wait for a table though. While reading the menu we got some tasty toasted soybeans on the table to snack on. I went with the Mixed Grill sizzler (tandoori chicken, goat, shrimp) as I had never been for Nepalese food before and I enjoyed it a lot. The wife got the goat curry and said it was awesome. They were pretty quick with refilling the water and the waitress was nice and friendly. The place is pretty quiet so when you sit next to "that guy" it makes it a bit tough to enjoy your meal and a nice conversation when you have someone with a raised voice next to you saying/shouting things like "I don't even know what the hell this stuff is". That doesn't change my rating as it's not their fault but I noticed another review mentioned this too so thought I would complain about it too. Would go back for more.
(4)John R.
blech! Horrible dinner tonight. There were 5 other tables all sitting with their menus for ages and not able to get the wait staff's attention. They were ignoring most of us and once we finally ordered and then finally got our food, it was not worth the wait. Bland chicken curry. Icky everything else. I will never ever come back. Bad service, worse food. Stay away.
(1)Kyle S.
Very quiet and simple. I love the atmosphere, I just wish other people would take note of the peaceful nature of the staff and surrounding customers. Yapping loudly about nonsense at a place like this sticks out like a sore thumb; honestly it's just annoying. The food is delicious! I ordered the chicken curry (not very adventurous of me) and it was spicy enough to make my face sweat just a little... in other words perfect. Food and aesthetics go hand in hand, people need to respect a restaurant that tries to offer both. So please please please, hush up and enjoy the experience; you're paying for it!
(4)Yaj L.
Amazing food i went there couple of times, man those momo and drum of heaven was amazing. I have to try their nepali food they are serving. I am from Nepal so i know how to cook authentic food. Service is not the best part. Go there and enjoy the meal.
(5)Reva R.
I go here regularly over the weekends for their buffet! I think it is fair to say that I eat here once every month (sometimes even twice). Very clean place, great staff, excellent service, overall a beautiful cozy place. The wall color, pictures are very elegant and add greatly to the ambiance. Spice level: Medium (but you can make it spicy by adding their sauces) The weekend lunch buffet menu is as follows: Salad, with different sauces( red, green, yoghurt, ranch) Soup : lentils, beans, awesome spices ( to die for!) Appetizer: Fried pancakes ish, very yum! Vegetable noodles (tip: try it with their red sauce) Entrees: 2 vegetarian entrees ( Potato cauliflower in Indian spices, Mustard greens etc) One chicken entree One goat entree White rice Rice pudding or Gulab jamun And GARLIC NAAN! this is the best garlic naan ever! Nothing matches the taste of their naan- period.
(5)GM J.
The food was delicious here. The service was slow though and we had to flag down the waiter a couple of times. The hotness scale for the rice was described as mild, medium and hot, but the medium was still pretty spicy. Overall, I thought the food was really good, but next time I might try the lunch buffet or take-out/delivery.
(4)S L.
One of my favorite places to frequent. Their garlic naan is made-to-order fresh and AMAZING. I go for the buffet, and I like how they rotate their menu by the day of the week. They focus on quality over quantity, so they don't have a huge selection. The place is also sparkling clean, a huge bonus and rare for buffet joints.
(5)ancaruci C.
This review is for the lunch buffet. II really enjoyed this place. First, this is a Nepalese place, and the food is very similar to the Indian one, but something that I liked is that you can really taste some differences in flavors, spices and methods of cooking. The lunch was amazing, with a great variety of options, excellent naan and desserts. For $10, it was an inspiring deal, and I ended up full and really satisfied! The service was good but not excellent, but for a buffet you don't really need a lot of personal attention, so it was OK.
(5)Karen D.
Mostly good food, but I don't feel inspired to run back there anytime soon. The atmosphere and experience was so-so and when we walked around after dinner, there were a lot of places that seemed like better choices and had more of a buzz going on for a Saturday night. I decided to use a Groupon I had bought awhile back. The restaurant was only half full. The man who greeted us (or maybe I should say seated us because there wasn't much greet to it), wasn't particularly friendly. Fortunately, he wasn't our server. They start you off with a little dish of toasted soybeans with garlic and ginger. I never had that before and it was tasty. We had the saffron shrimp and chili cheese naan. The shrimp had a nice flavor and the chili cheese naan was super spicy. This was the best part of the meal and I think we should have made a dinner out of some of the appetizers. We each ordered the chicken curry. When it came, it was one bowl of rice and one bowl of chicken curry. We thought they put our orders together, buy it was pretty small. We figured it might be one of those really small portion restaurants. The curry sauce was good, but the chicken-not as much. It wasn't really white meat and my boyfriend got a few chewy pieces. When we got the bill, it was just one chicken curry order we got, which actually was a good thing. The Groupon covered the whole bill so all we had to pay was tax and tip. Then we went to one of the other restaurants, sat at the bar and shared a dessert.
(2)JohnnyFoodface ..
Food is "cleaner" and "healthier" than typical indian food: There is less cream overall and a minimalist approach to oils and spices. My guest and I were refreshed by this take on the cuisine, as well as the plethora of vegetarian options. Good for a change from Indian places that can lay it on with oil, cream, salt, and spice. Not incredibly creative but different and, from my years of experience dining in Boston, uncommon. They have a lunch buffet option which I will definitely take advantage of in the future.
(4)K P.
I went there for Buffet on a Sunday. I pretty much liked everything. Service was good. Parking was easy. The only suggestion I have for them is when they provide naan in the basket, it would be better if they can bring 2 pieces at a time so that they wont get cold pretty fast. Butter naans are fine if they are kept longer but plain naan dries up pretty fast. So only 2 pieces per person at a time (like they do it in India Palace in Union Sq)
(5)Cynthia G.
I was shocked by this restaurant, in a great way. I think I expected something similar to Tibetan restaurants I've visited around town - kind of hearty home cooking, not particularly refined. Tasty, but not something I'd go out of my way to recommend. This was entirely different. They first placed a little crunchy amuse-bouche at our plates, a great combination of flavors and textures. We got the vegetarian combo appetizer, black lentils (creamy, flavorful), and tangy eggplant. Eggplant usually comes rather heavily bathed in oil and sauce, but this dish contained long strips of eggplant, crispy without feeling oily, with a light coating of sauce. It was perfectly done, and beautifully presented. I felt the attention to detail in all the food. And the dessert, a thickened yoghurt dish, was an ideal ending. If I lived in Arlington, I'd eat there again and again. Especially for the price. This place is a treasure.
(5)Vipin K.
We went there on a quiet Sunday night with only one family eating prior to us. Staff looked bored when the three of us arrived but got to life and took our orders with a pleasant smile. The place is spacious, clean and has better atmosphere than many other Indian restaurants in Boston. It wasn't my first time there and had enjoyed their food before but my expectations weren't too high. I always liked their Okra Masala and momos (especially the chutney) and hence going there was a safe bet and I knew that people accompanying me would also find something good for their taste. Okra Masala and momos were fantastic as usual but I also liked Goat Sekua and Lentil Bukhara. Green chillies and small grilled meat pieces worked very well with the mint chutney. The ginger pieces in Lentil Bukhara and the falavor of Lentils worked very well for me. Please note that we ordered all the dishes to be hot and spicy and they brought the spice level up without compromising the taste. Aloo tama was a new flavor and satisfactory as well with bamboo shoots and black eyed peas. Complimentary crunchy beans with small pieces of onion, garlic and ginger were also amazing. We all left with our stomachs full and smiles on our faces.
(5)Vanilla P.
Momo Madness! Fun to order, and fantastic to eat! Make sure you get extra red spicy sauce: It's a mouth cha cha waiting to happen :D Cool waiters, happy customers, and a comfortable atmosphere make Kathmandu a top ten on my Arlington Eats list. ...When I get around to actually trying 9 other worthy places...
(4)Al N.
I had lunch here recenty and really enjoyed it. I don't normally eat buffet meals, but everything looked so good and fresh I had to try. Additionally, the selection of items was and excellent mix, balanced and great for sampling. Everything was prepared well, the staff was terrific including letting the three of us spend a long time catching up without hassles. I'll go back for dinner soon.
(4)K J.
I find this a great alternative to Punjab (I agree it is not an ideal comparison) even though I have been there (Punjab) only once. The menu here is a good mix of traditional Nepalese, Indo-Chineese, and Indian. In line with the traditional Hindu beliefs, no beef or pork is available in any of the items on the menu. Non vegetarian options are primarily chicken, and lamb. As far as the food goes, it is delicious, prepared well and complemented with good service from the staff. I love the small portion of soy beans they provide at the start, akin to the papad and chutney that Indian restaurants offer nowadays. It is a nice mixture of crispy soy beans, chopped onions, ginger zest, lemon juice, cilantro, and seasoning. I tried asking if it has a name, but apparently it does not. Like the waitress said "It is just called soy beans :-)". A great selection of appetizers, including vegetable and chicken momos, spring rolls. I always end up substituting the Chicken Chili as my appetizer, little chunks of chicken stir fried with onions and peppers made spicy to your liking. The portions are plentiful, so often when I am with a second person we would simply order just one curry/side dish to go with our breads. It is great that most of the entrees come with a choice of rice/naan/roti. The Lentil Bukhara is a perfect side to a roti. If you are vegan, it may be worthwile to check (which I am sure most do) because I could taste melted butter in most many of the seemingly vegan dishes (the above mentioned Lentil Bukhara being one) The naan is typically NOT the fluffy chunky type that one may find in Indian restaurants, rather they are smaller and thinner more like a parata. But that does not take away the taste. Since the place is almost never crowded, I feel that they take the time to prepare the dishes really well. Service is not rushed through which allows you to sit for a time longer than usual. if it suits your taste, they do have a collection of wines to choose from. There are a few things I would like to sample from their menu, primarily the Dal, Bhat & Tarkari Meal (a staple for the people of Nepal), the Biryani (mainly the lamb), and the Golden Gobi. So I will save some space here until the next Bollywood movie comes the the nearby Arlington theater.
(5)Shimstu S.
Yum! After wanting to check out Kathmandu Spice for a while, I finally made it there with my mom last week on the first night of her visit from Florida- i was choosing this place over Redbones for her intro to Somerville (and environs), so it had to be good! After an awkward and frustrating 20 minute wait, it was, in fact, GREAT! They really need to learn how to welcome guests and manage their crowds, but they definitely know how to do good food. We ordered the Gobi- yummy yummy cauliflower balls with an amazing dipping sauce. We also had the Kwatti soup- 9 beans in a lentily broth, but with a much more interesting and sophisticated flavor. I forget the name, but we had the thin-sliced fried eggplant- it came built in a lovely jenga-esque tower covered in a rich tamarind sauce. the wait sucked, but once we were seated, the staff was lovely, the food was yummy. i would recommend for sure. We didn't have any meat, but it's a great destination for veggies...
(4)Jen W.
I've been here twice and both times the food was delicious. The sauces on the dishes are always yummy!! The meals always have great presentation. My only complaint is that the price seems to be a bit steep. Oh, and the naan is excellent!!
(4)Laurel C.
Have tried the lunch buffet a few times and found it so-so. Had a coupon so went with my kids for lunch. I love spicy food, including Indian food, as do my kids, so we thought this was safe. Momos were good. Howver, not only were the two entrees we ordered not as described, one (the eggplant) was so sour, as opposed to the menu's definition of "tangy", it was inedible. I asked them to take it off the bill, as about 2 bites were eaten. They wouldn't. That kind of service leaves a bad taste in my mouth for sure. Not going back. Ever.
(1)Stuart L.
When this place originally opened it was very promising. Over the years, it has gone way downhill across the board - the food, the vibe, the service. I ate here today, for the last time. The buffet used to be uniformly excellent. The soup is still very fresh and good and the naan is prepared to order. It is apparent that most of the rest of the items are recycled from previous buffets. It would be generous to describe the service as indifferent. At least it's not hostile, more like passive aggressive. I am very sad to be posting this review, but it is what it is. I had avoided Kathmandu Spice for three months, and now I am done for good.
(1)S B.
The food here is INCREDIBLE. It's a bit like Indian, combined with a bunch of other types of food. The chile cheese naan is SO good - but very spicy, so chew with care. I had the Kathmandu Platter and all of it was very good - especially the goat sekuwa. I've never had goat that tasty. It was spiced and cooked perfectly. Other tasty foods I've had here: mixed vegetable platter (fried cauliflower = amazing), mushroom pepper, lentil bukhara, kwatti soup, and the roti. A+ for the food. The atmosphere here is very relaxing - nice for a couple or small group. We had five people, which seemed to be the largest they could comfortably accommodate. The dark orange and yellow walls and wall decor make for a pleasant meal, and the smooth music helps as well. The only issue I had was that our food all came out at different time. My roti didn't arrive until I was well into my food - which was a bummer because the bread goes so well with the meat. All of our appetizers and entrees were staggered, and had a significant amount of time between them, which was sort of unfortunate. But other than that, the service was great. Definitely highly recommend this place for a sit down dinner with friends, family, or lovers!
(4)Chelsea J.
Really good, but the plates were small. We went in on a whim one day, dont ask why we were in Arlington. We got the Kathmandu platter as an appetizer, which came with momos, shrimp, goat, and malai tikka. It was perfect since we couldn't decide between all of the delicious sounding apps, but we were concerned that we would have too much food between that and entrees. Fortunately, it was tiny, so plenty of room for more food. I got the lamb curry, which was pretty good and a decent amount of lamb. He got the softshell crab, which he said was very fresh and cooked well. Our server was really nice and helpful, even though she was covering the whole restaurant. Also, marked down for having soda from a can, that's a pet peeve of mine.
(3)Mark G.
Excellent buffet, attentive staff, good location.
(4)Heather C.
I'm writing this review for one reason . . . to get you to try Kathmandu. The food is awesome whether you sit down or take out. The lamb curry is tasty and tender. The lamb biryani is probably one of the best meals I've ever eaten. I love the house special naan with dried fruits and nuts. Tandoori is succulent and not too dry. So yummy! You need to go.
(5)Dave L.
The food here is very delicious; a light alternative to Indian. The sauces are much less thick. The naan bread that came complimentary with dinner was excellent. The downside: prices are a bit steep. An entree can go up to around $18, which isn't an outrageous price but I wasn't floored by the quality and service of the restaurant. Another positive: the lassi are the same price as soda , so you don't feel guilty ordering one.
(3)Cee C.
CAll Ahead they often have private parties and are close to the public.
(3)Mama P.
If it were possible to give no stars, that would be my rating. Arrived on a Friday at 709pm and they had 4 tables vacant. They managed to ignore us as we waited to be seated until 724pm - no eye contact, no welcome, we'll seat you in a minute. Nothing. Once seated, we waited till 752pm to have our orders taken. They had 4 people working but only the tall sullen guy was taking orders. The other 3 were mostly hiding in the kitchen. The food came out at 824pm and our water glasses were finally filled after that. The combo plate at $16.95 was horrible. Tiny portions of 4-5 items, all mediocre. The goat curry were 2 pieces of very bony gristly meat - gross. The lamb curry was dry as leather and had 5 small cubes for $13.95. The shrimp chow mein (don't ask) was a bowl of mostly cabbage and onions with very little noodles and 2 small shrimp. Terrible service, not good food. What a waste of a Friday night and $46. I went home and ate pretzels.
(1)Lys W.
Eating at Kathmandu Spice Restaurant, this weekend, was my first foray into the world of Nepalese food. All I can say is YUM! I was introduced to Momos and Aloo Tama, both of which I found to be delicious. The Aloo Tama was perfect, not too heavy to eat and I was just the right amount of full. The dishes that I tried were not spicy, either. Sometimes you feel like spice and sometimes you don't! They fulfilled my vegetarian requirements nicely, as well. We were on a time-crunch, and the restaurant brought out our food quickly. They did not hover, also, which I appreciated. Yes, I will be back! :)
(4)Wham S.
Best Indian restaurant we've found in the Boston area. Kicks Diva's (in Davis Square) butt. We got the chicken steak masala, chicken curry, garlic naan, and veggie momos, and they were all fabulous. A little pricey, but worth it.
(5)Gerald W.
Excellent and fresh Nepalese food
(4)jen h.
The prices are decent and the food was amazing. We started off with some garlic naan, which was cooked perfectly. Then we had a goat appetizer which was delicious!! My husband got something that had a little taste of everything and I had the lamb curry, both were fantastic!!! I would recommend this place to anyone, the food really was awesome!
(5)Ken M.
This review is based on the lunch buffet. I would not rate the dinner there this highly. I love the food, especially when they have okra. I also really like some of the dessert offerings they have. Kathmandu Spice is great especially if you have coworkers who will indulge your need to have different food options occasionally. For us, it's every week.
(5)Kate T.
The appetizer portion was extremely generous for $10. My boyfriend and I were half full after splitting one vegetarian mixed platter. Conversely, the entrees were overpriced. Although we were satisfied, we weren't blown away, and neither entree was worth anywhere near the price. My veggies in curry sause was $11 and his 10 shrimp in sauce was a crazy $17. We enjoyed it but due to the prices probably won't go back.
(3)Chris M.
I know it may add to their authenticity, but their servings are not very generous. The food was interesting - I went on a suggestion from a fellow yelper and split an appetizer dish with my girlfriend - a platter sampling a bunch of different foods - and then got naan. The food was all good, just not really enough for a meal. We went here with my family for a birthday dinner, and none of the other dishes (actual entrees) were that big either. The atmosphere/service also could've been better.
(3)David Y.
Went here for the lunch buffet ($10). Nice decor and good service. The buffet dishes were largely hit or miss. The selection for a weekend buffet was pretty small. There was 2 non-meat dishes and 3 meat dishes. Most of them were too salty. The chicken tikka masala was great. Some of the best I've ever had. The other meat dishes were fine but it really seemed like it was just chicken dishes. Their eggplant dish on the other hand was horrible. The eggplant was so soggy and everything felt greasy - yuck. The buffet came with a choice of naan so we got some garlic naan that was excellent. The jasmine rice in the buffet was really dry but we did come in at the tail end of the buffet so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. If there were a couple of additional dishes to try I probably would've been truly satisfied. But even though I was stuffed when leaving, I definitely left wanting a little something more.
(3)Lauren L.
I used to LOVE this place when I lived in Arlington but I just went back today and it was not great so now I'm SUPER embarrassed that I've been telling everyone how great it is. SORRY!
(2)Susannah W.
Kathmandu Spice's website now lists what is on their buffet each day! Now I can go online and decide if that's really where I want to head for lunch, instead of showing up and being disappointed that they had cauliflower instead of eggplant (what can I say... I LOATHE cauliflower). Thanks for the improvement, Kathmandu Spice.
(5)John W.
Phenomenal South Asian food. The Nepalese brunch on Sunday is the best value in the area with AMAZING food. I tasted spices I've never had anywhere else. The Nepalese owner is gracious and friendly and did a great job creating a modern yet traditional comfortable environment. Highly recommend Kathmandu Spice.
(5)Fred A.
I'm waffling between 3 and 4 stars so settling on 3 because of a comple small negatives. We had the lunch buffet on a Saturday afternoon. The buffet was rather sparse, with only about 6 dishes. We liked the lamb curry and the nepalese rice pancakes, both of which ran out while we were there, but at least the lamb curry was replenished; the pancakes never were. They did have the best, fresh-made garlic naan we've had in quite a while. The dining room is smallish and a little bit crowded, but quite acceptable, clean and orderly. I would like to go back to try it out during dinner hours, as most Indian buffets are, well, Indian buffets, and this one was not outstanding.
(3)A T.
If you haven't already figured - I love momos. I can sell my soul for them, literally. So how did I end up tasting their momos when I live at Kenmore?? If only this was a million dollar question, which it isn't..so umm..where was I? Oh the momos.. I was at the last Oktoberfest (no, you didn't see me doing the honky tonk in weird leather clothes) and was hungry as hell when I lay my eyes on this little stall in a corner which read CHICKEN MOMOS - $5. I was sold. Are you kidding me?? Seven pieces of heavenly delight for $5?? Now Im pretty sure that was just a promotional price at the fest but whatever. I loved their momos and the spicy sauce they serve with it. Love them to death.
(4)Martha M.
nice clean ambience BUT the most tempting plate on the menu the Mixed Meat Sizzler was rather dry, overcooked and accompanied with vegatables which was mostly onions. Most Indian restaurant provde an assortment of sauces to go with your Naan, though not at this restaurant. Leaving me asking for extra sauce and do not like to be an inconvience. The small bowl of sauce was not enough. I love super spicy and there just wasnt enough flavor for me. Though my date was never had any Indian-type cuisine she thought swordfish entree was good. I aggreed with her though normally I'm not a fan of fish covered in sauce as I fear the chef is attempting to cover up bad fish. Entire meal was over priced and the only way I would return is to try out the $9.95 Lunch Buffet, perhaps there is some extra sauces and spices with the buffet. Waitress did fill the water and was friendly and attentive.
(2)Victoria T.
Delicious food! I do not understand why this place isn't crowded all the time. The prices are totally reasonable and the food is unique and quite tasty. We order take out a lot from here and have not been disappointed! It is also a quiet and cozy place for a date night dinner:) Also there is always parking on Mass Ave or free parking on side streets. Try it!
(5)S S.
Went to dinner with a friend. The food was quite excellent, however, the service was a bit slow. Also, don't sit in any of the booths. The booths were so flimsy that every time the person behind me moved or stretched, I was pushed forward involuntarily, which is quite distracting when you're trying to enjoy a meal. If not for the slow service and bad seating, I would have given this place 5 stars.
(3)Henry C.
Uh, gourmet Nepalese? Smallish portions of nicely prepared, mostly vegetarian dishes. This review based on takeout. Tangy eggplant was surprisingly tangy (in a good way). The Golden Gobi were delicious, as was the Malai tikki, whose chicken was tender despite grilling. Vegetable momos were yummy too, and the Naan (garlic) was some of the best around here. The moderately but not excessive prices per dish belie their very small portion size. Their entrees size like tapas plates. If you value quality and healthful eating over quantity, this is your place. But if you are really hungry, you might be dissatisfied or go broke, one or the other. Your best bet might be to order mostly appetizers, a lot of Naan, and entrees sparingly, since the portion size difference between entrees and appetizers is not all that much.
(4)G G.
Went here with my wife for dinner a few days ago. Overall, good atmosphere, although the room was really loud (probably more the patrons than bad accoustics, but... seriously, we had to yell to each other at times to be heard). We liked the appetizers we had... I got the chicken momos (I'm a huge dumpling fan, and I've always loved the momos at the several Tibetan restaurants I've been to). They hit the spot. My wife had the tuna spring roll, which she liked. The tuna wasn't quite to the standards of a good sushi place, but the roll was lightly fried... not greasy like many Chinese eggrolls are. The main courses, however, were a letdown. My wife had the Vegetable Curry, which was tasty, but oily. She often complains of this at Indian places, but this time I had t agree with her, seeing how much orange-tinted oil was covering her dish. I ordered the Shrimp Moilee, which was "juicy shrimp in a mustard-flavored coconut sauce." Huge disappointment, and a major ripoff. I got a 12" plate covered in sauce with 10 small-to-medium shrimp and two lonely plum tomatoes on it. Considering it's a $18 item, it was hugely underwhelming... I can't recall ever having been served such a barren plate in a restaurant. The sauce was tasty, but really tasted like a generic coconut-based sauce. Couldn't they have at least put some vegetables on it? Ater eating the 10 shrimp (I don't do raw tomatoes) I basically had a useless plate of sauce left. I won't be rushing back here. Which is a pity, since the menu at least looks different than all of the run-of-the-mill Indian places I've tried over the years.
(2)Kanti S.
I had high hopes about this restaurant after having read the 44 reviews on Yelp and was very disappointed after the first (and perhaps the only time) I went there. Being a Nepali, I did have high expectations for this place.The only good thing was Goat Curry and even that, they did not refill the buffet section even after we requested the waiter numerous times. In fact, there was not much of any food left. We ordered momos and they were the blandest momos I have had. The service was terrible. All in all, it was a disappointment. If I go back, I suppose I will just get goat curry!
(1)Brett M.
Gave this place a try and was really impressed! The ingredients were fresh and the flavors were well balanced and delightful. In summary... yum yum. I am no authority on the authenticity of Nepalese dishes, but I can say that everything I ordered was very good. A dish I highly recommend is 'Shrimp Moilee' with curry leaf rice. Can't wait to go back and try more!
(4)Adrienne A.
4 stars for lunch buffet 1 for dinner The buffet is amazing and varied - excellent vegetarian dishes and several with meat. I am a real carnivore, but have liked all the dishes they put out. The funny thing is that they must have a different chef for dinner (or maybe we slipped through a worm hole to another world?). When I brought my mother I was embarrassed by the food. Both of our meals were terrible (hers was was fire-hot when she asked for mild, mine strangely tasteless and the lamb was like leather), and they forgot the bread. It was on the I'm-not-sure-this-is-worth-it expensive level even if it had been a simply good meal. This was a particularly unwelcome surprise because it was supposed to be a birthday dinner. Since then, when I drive by, I rarely see anyone in there for dinner - perhaps people know this and don't want to write a bad review because their buffet is so good. The staff is always cheerful and helpful, and the ambiance is nice. The food is fabulous for the lunch buffet - so I give them 4 stars, because I WILL be back for that.
(4)Mihir P.
I had a very disappointing lunch buffet experience. Perhaps all the positive reviews set me up for it! The food was basically Punjabi Indian food. I know that some Nepalese dishes are similar but I was hoping the other Nepalese choices were offered. Not sure why this restaurant didn't differentiate from the slew of Indian restaurants in the area. But even rating it as a Punjabi restaurant, I found the food to be mediocre. Very dry tandoori chicken, standardized chicken curry and korma. But the nine-bean soup was very flavorful and nutritious and the spicy potatos has potential.
(2)Evan L.
Tried this place out on a Groupon for the lunch buffet. It was a small buffet but the food was excellent. The choices were curried cabbage (delicious!), curried chickpeas (also very good), rice with cumin seeds (loved it), and another type of rice, and tandoori chicken (it was okay--there were only a couple pieces left with over an hour to go on the buffet and they didn't refill so i might have just gotten the small pieces no one wanted), pretty basic salad, and one other dish i'm forgetting. The only thing I didn't like was their "suji" dessert, which was some sort of mix of grain, sugar, cinnamon, and some other sweet stuff... it was incredibly sweet and gritty (like a farina or polenta). it does come with a choice or regular or garlic naan which was freshly prepared per table and delicious. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I would return.
(4)Jeanette D.
First Nepalese meal and I adored it. There were so many great vegetarian choices, and everything we ordered had amazing spice. Nice and hot for my spice loving taste buds. I highly reccommend the chili cheese naan, which was almost too hot for me, and i loved it! had a great glass of rioja with my meal as well. only one small complaint... i would've loved a second glass of wine, but the waiter didn't check in on us to make that a possibility. agree with the comment on the momos, perfectly accompanied by the sauce. nice, warm atmosphere. great little joint for a relaxing meal.
(5)Heather B.
My friend took me there for a little b-day lunch yesterday. I really enjoyed the food and the ambiance is delightful as well. I look forward to going back at dinner time. Loved the okra and the green bean potato curry! I would put this up there as my new fave for Indian. Is it Indian? Nepalese? OK, my favorite for Nepalese!
(4)Sam C.
Chicken Momo app was good and the "Chicken Steak Masala" was the best version of "tika masala" I have ever tasted. Will definitely go back. Small portions but that's fine.
(4)Paul G.
The $8.95 lunch buffet is the way to go. I never leave hungry, the selection of dishes available and the accompanying sauces just right. Just be sure to choose the Garlic Naan over the plain, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Claire M.
Delicious. Tasteful decorations. A little on the pricey side, but it's worth it. Both menu and buffet are good.
(5)Mark B.
A+. We formerly lived nearby, and used to order take out repeatedly. Then we had a child, and took him several times. Reverse order, I know. But, they couldn't be more lovely. Miracle soups. Crazy skewers. Tuna rolls to write home about. And, outstanding dishes that you aren't going to find in most Asian or Indian restaurants. This place is one of my favorites in Boston or Chicago (and I've eaten at Charlie Trotters', Alinea, L'Espalier, O-Ya, etc). Not to sound snooty, but you gotta know that this place is top notch for food.
(5)Xin S.
I was not a fan. I was excited when they did a Groupon as I had wanted to try Himalayan food. My dinner was very MEH. The momos were kind of bland and my entree was forgettable. We also got the special dinner which was also disappointing and SMALL. Even with the Groupon it felt overpriced for the food. Would not return.
(2)Lara S.
A great little restaurant. I particularly recommend the the cheese dumplings.
(4)Christopher N.
I like this place a lot. The food is spicy if you wish and the Momos are amazing. The food is reasonably priced and the service has always been great.
(4)