Newars (the indigenous people of the Kathmandu valley) have their set of traditional snacks popular with locals as well as tourists. It consists of beaten rice, spicy boiled potatoes, different kind of peas – black eyed, green, chick etc; chhoyla (fire grilled or barbequed buffalo or chicken meat), greens and so forth; Bara (a traditional pan cake made of several kinds of lentils mixed with egg, mince meat etc).

However I found this this year’s visit the one of the two oldest Newari joints famously known as ‘Honacha’, named after its founder Mr Hona:, has moved away from its original place where it had established for generations has moved to an insider and hidden location inside a maze of under the house gulleys and alleys. It seems to have been replaced by mushrooming new and modern restaurants, mostly run by non Newars.

Food seems to be more leaning towards mainstream Nepalese tastes rather than traditional Newari. This indicates the Newari traditional cooks offering authentic taste that have been continued for generations are becoming rare sight and increasingly replaced by copy cats cashing on the popularity of the distinct Newari cuisine. The proliferation can be found in many parts of the city and tastes are little off from the original recipe of Honacha. The famous food lives on but might lose its strong, sharp tates buds.

I pray, hence I order
You better give.
I pray to you, God
Using best of my words
Now you should listen to me
Not the other way round
I can’t be let down
You get the glory
But you know who created who.