There’s something to be said about having a Thakali thali surrounded by snow-peaked mountains. If that’s not possible, the next best thing is to think of the mountains and have your thali at the New Sikkim House in the heart of the Capital.
I first had a Thakali thali in a small village near Pokhran in Nepal. Since then, every time I have had this Nepalese thali (including once at a scenic restaurant near Dehradun), I have been struck by the simple yet delicious fare of the region.
There was a time, many years ago, when the New Sikkim House was our favourite haunt. The food was excellent, and the prices were low. It, however, downed its shutters — but reopened a few years ago under a new management.
I went there last week, and found the place in Chanakyapuri humming. Clearly, it’s a popular lunch spot for people who live or work in the neighbourhood.
The menu has quite a few Sikkim specials. There is thakali, of course, as most of the Sikkimese people are of Nepalese origin. There are Tibetan dishes such as shaptas and thupkas, and I was happy to find a section devoted to pork and buff preparations. I had thought of starting with a bowl of thenkthuk — flat noodle soup with veggies and meats (₹200-230) — but opted instead for steamed chicken momos (₹220). The prices on the menu, by the way, are a little different from those you see on the food delivery sites.
Thakali non-vegetarian thali available at the New Sikkim House in Chanakyapuri | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
For mains, we ordered three Thakali thalis — one vegetarian (₹250), one with chicken (₹299), and the third with meat curry (₹350). It had a mound of rice at the centre, surrounded by little bowls — one with kali dal, another with a sweet dish, and the third with the non-vegetarian curry. Around the rice were small helpings of sautéed spinach, a dry dish of potatoes and mustard greens, fried bitter gourd, a fermented dish of leafy greens called gundruk, roasted tomato chutney, green salad with a slice of lemon and a papad.
The food was good. The dal was light, and the veggies, mildly bitter, added to the taste. The mutton and chicken were the way they are cooked in homes on Sundays — tender pieces in a light, somewhat hot gravy. The sago pudding was rather tasty. You get unlimited helpings of the veggies, dal and rice.
I asked for some pork dishes — shapta and chilli pork (both ₹350) — to take home with me. The shapta consisted of thin strips of stir-fried pork, cooked with chillies. The chilli pork had some juicy pieces with fat on the side, and got a rousing welcome at home. The dishes, though good, didn’t come close to a Sikkimese friend’s preparation — fatty pork, just boiled with garlic and chillies.
New Sikkim House has butter chicken and shahi paneer on the menu, too — but don’t let that trouble you. Stick to what they are good at, and that’s Nepalese and Tibetan food. I’ll be happy if they add some dishes of the Lepcha community of Sikkim. Dishes such as nettle soup and ferns, stir-fried with garlic and red chillies. That will be Sikkim on a platter.
At Panchsheel Marg, Block F, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri; Ph: 7303547032.
Published - March 22, 2024 01:30 am IST
