Raju Manandhar owns Nepalicious food truck in Kambah. Photos: Lucy Ridge.
One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed in Canberra’s food scene over the past few years is a growing number of Nepalese food trucks and restaurants.
Nepalese cuisine is regionally distinct from Indian and Chinese food – although it shares some similarities with both – and as the Nepali population of Canberra grows, the community is bringing their food with them.
Nepalicious Food Truck is a newcomer to this thriving scene. Parked at Kambah Adventure Park, it is serving a mix of authentic Nepalese dishes.
Nepalicious owner Raju Manandhar told Region he learned his trade at the family restaurant back home in Kathmandu.
“I have been hand-making momos (Nepalese dumplings) since I was a child. I learned everything working in the restaurant back home.
“We make pretty much everything from scratch. We’re not compromising on quality and consistency.”
The handmade momos are served steamed, or in a nutty jhol soup with a drizzle of spicy oil.
They’ve only been open a few weeks but have already earned a loyal following from regulars at the park and the local Nepalese community.
Raju said he’s enjoyed introducing more Canberrans to the food of his hometown.
“What we make is straight from the streets of Kathmandu to Canberra. We wanted to show people what Nepalese food is because a lot of people don’t know about it. We use different spices to Indian food, we have different dishes.”
Visiting the food truck on a sunny winter day I immediately knew I wanted momos.
These Nepalese dumplings have a range of fillings and are packed full of spices. At Nepalicious you can choose paneer (a kind of soft cheese) or chicken momos served steamed, or in a soup called jhol; made with tomatoes and usually containing sesame seeds or peanuts for a creamy, nutty flavour. Optional extra heat comes from a drizzle of chilli oil with tongue numbing szechuan pepper: add to suit your taste.
The momos were plump and perfectly formed and I loved the tasty paneer filling. Combined with the soup I felt warmed all the way through.
Traditional bari is a pan-fried lentil fritter served with chicken mince, egg and chutney.
While momos have long been a favourite dish of mine, I spotted a dish on the menu I hadn’t seen before: bara.
Raju explained that this traditional dish is a pan-fried lentil patty served with chutney. You can also add chicken mince and/or a fried egg: I went for the whole shebang. Made fresh to order and served piping hot, this dish was simple, comforting and delicious.
With an afternoon of work ahead of me I also ordered the chatpatey spicy snack to take back to the office. This mix of dry instant noodles, nuts, vegetables, spices and herbs was dangerously moreish and best eaten while fresh and crunchy. Raju will alter the spice levels to suit your preference: I like it hot, but my colleagues baulked at the chilli!
I’d return for the chowmein – spicy stir fried noodles – and it’s worth keeping an eye on their social media for specials like traditional sweet dumplings yo mari, spiced masala chai or aalu chop (spiced potato fritters).
Nepalicious is hoping to build its customer base and ramp up ahead of summer when the park will be busier.
They’re well worth the trip for momo fans, or those just a little Nepalicurious.
Nepalicious is at Kambah Adventure Park, Springbett Street, Kambah. It is open from noon to 6 pm, Thursday to Tuesday. Follow Nepalicious on Facebook or Instagram.
