Nepalese food from a Nepalese chef: that’s the latest offering at New Town’s DC Block. Sekuwa Ghar opened over the weekend to offer ingredients, spices, and recipes straight from the Himalayan nation.
“I’m a hotel management graduate and had set up a Nepalese food stall at Bidhannagar Mela (Utsav) in 2016. It was a huge hit and over 2,000 guests left their numbers with us, asking to be informed if we ever opened a restaurant,” explains Amrit Acharya, who started the venture. “Gradually, we opened a cloud kitchen and kiosks around New Town and kept returning to the Salt Lake fair. But this is our first sit-and-eat space.”
The restaurant offers a Himalayan experience. Meditative Buddhist chants play softly in the background, walls are adorned with pictures of their festivals and rituals, and there’s a special section where guests can dine seated on the floor. “This is the traditional way of eating Nepalese food. Even here in New Town’s BD Block, where I live, I often sit on the floor and dine,” Amrit says.
A couple sits on floor to eat in traditional Nepalese style
The name Sekuwa Ghar points to the restaurant’s signature dish: Sekuwa. This is a type of charcoal-grilled kebab where meat is skewered and slow-roasted. They offer the smoky delights with boneless chicken or mutton, chicken legs and wings, all prepared with typical spice marinades. They cost between Rs 231 and 420.
They also boast an impressive array of momos. “Locally available momos tend to be dry, but our ones are juicy enough to blast in the mouth, like phuchkas,” Amrit says proudly. Kothey Momo is steamed on one side and fried on the other, so you get a part-crunchy, part-soft texture. “For those who enjoy a kick, there’s Jhol Momo, submerged in a soup made of peanut, soybean, sesame, and tomatoes. It’s very spicy,” he warns. The momos are available in vegetarian, chicken, and mutton options.
There are lots of fusion momos too. Kids would fall for the Kurkure Momo, with its crispy breadcrumb coating. The health conscious can try Ata Momo and the adventurous can have Tandoori Momo and Cheese Steamed Momo.
But a must-try is the Sel Roti with Piro Aloo. “Sel Roti is a ring-shaped sweet bread made of rice flour. We have for births, deaths, weddings - every occasion you can think of. It’s sweet and is paired with Piro Aloo, which is very spicy,” he says.
One story Amrit enjoys recounting is that of Khasi ko Bhuttan (Rs 315), a popular Nepalese starter. “It’s boiled goat intestines and stomach, fried with chopped onion, chillies, and spice mix,” he explains. “My Bengali wife, Surata Basak, had tried to veto this dish off the menu, claiming locals would be turned away by the description. But on our very first day, many people tried it and assured us they would be returning for it two to three times a month,” said the husband, who claims to have had the last laugh.
Another traditional favourite making it to the menu is Nepalese style Pangra fry (Rs 263), which is fried chicken gizzard. “I would cook for our friends here in New Town, and they insisted that we include this in the menu,” Amrit says. Guests can also try Chukauni, a refreshing yoghurt-based potato salad.
The eatery prides itself on the Thakali, a traditional Nepalese thali. “The highlight here is a black bean dal that we source from Nepal. It has to be slow-cooked for two to three hours,” he says. The meal also features raayo saag, a pickled, fermented, and dried green leaf imported from Nepal. Guests can choose from chicken, mutton, or vegetarian options cooked in a light gravy (priced at 410, 515, and 725, respectively). And besides rice, the meal can also be served with millet.
For dessert, try Yamari, a sweet dumpling shaped like a conch shell. “It’s like a pithe but the filling is a different concoction of jaggery, milk, and grated coconut,” Amrit describes.