The Thakali thali, or dal bhat, is a stunning centrepiece meal. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Stashed away in an unfashionable part of town is a restaurant worth knowing about. Timur is a Nepali restaurant that serves authentic dishes with a professional flair matched only by their homemade charm.
Settling into the plush green velvet chairs, we checked out the space. Black sail cloths cleverly disguise a tiled office ceiling, and the walls are decked out with art and traditional wood carvings. Arriving early, we were the first diners of the evening, and while a few more couples and families drifted in later, there were still fewer than a restaurant this good deserves.
The menu contains a comprehensive list of classic Nepali snacks, small dishes and curries, but the main attraction is the Thakali thali set, also known as dal bhat. This meal is made up of many small dishes surrounding a central dome of rice. It’s designed to be a hearty meal for one, but we decided to share it between two so we could sample a few more dishes from the menu.
The handmade momos are outrageously delicious. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Momos are an absolute favourite of mine, so we had to order a serve of these Nepali dumplings. My friend loves pani puri, and we were also intrigued by a dish called kanchamba, which turned out to be fried, tapered rolls of buckwheat and millet dough. Served with a tomato sesame chutney and a Szechuan chilli salt mix, these were light, crispy and moreish. You could see that each piece had been hand-rolled with care. I also couldn’t resist a mango lassi, topped with khuwa (a fresh cheese, similar to a crumbly ricotta).
The crispy pani-puri shells came with a tasty potato filling. To eat these all-in-one bites, you pour a tangy tamarind, mint and lime sauce into the shell, then pop it in your mouth. The term ‘flavour explosion’ is criminally overused, but does honestly apply to the sensation of crunch, spice and cooling liquid in each mouthful of pani-puri. Beautifully handmade momos are also served with the signature tomato chutney: these steamed dumplings were chewy, slippery and full of flavour.
Pani-puri and kanchamba are two excellent starters. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The thali arrived on a shiny brass platter, impressive for its size and presentation. We were offered (and accepted) melted ghee poured over the rice and dal for extra rich flavour. Dal bhat is ubiquitous in Nepal: when I visited to hike the Annapurna Circuit in 2017, our guide regularly encouraged us with the adage “dal bhat power, 24 hour!” to keep our energy levels up. At its most basic, it’s a simple lentil curry served with rice, perhaps with chutney and some veggies.
The version at Timur turns this dish up a notch or two with a whole swathe of tasty little accompaniments: a spicy, sour pickle, sweet mango chutney, fresh sliced cucumber and carrot, wilted greens, spiced potato and cauliflower, tangy yoghurt, pickled daikon, and crunchy fried karela (bitter melon slices). All this in addition to the rice with ghee, lentil curry, pappadum and your choice of vegetable, chicken or goat curry. You can also choose to add a serving of dhido (buckwheat and millet porridge).
This mango lassi comes with a dollop of fresh ‘khuwa’ cheese. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
What an absolute delight to tuck into this feast! Each element offers a new flavour and texture, making every bite unique. We chose the goat curry, which was fall-apart tender and served in a tasty gravy. The ghee-kissed rice left a shine on our lips as we tucked in.
I was particularly taken with the fried bitter melon eaten with a spoonful of yoghurt and some sweet mango chutney.
Timur has a dessert menu, but we simply couldn’t eat another bite. We ended up putting our leftover momos in a takeaway container, and I can confirm that they were still outrageously delicious when eaten cold for breakfast the next morning!
Timur Nepali Restaurant is located in the Homeworld Tuggeranong building, Shop 5/146 Scollay St. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday, 5 to 9 pm. Follow Timur on Instagram.
