The monsoon drizzle on a busy night created quite an
obstacle as I made my way towards Sherpa Mall, shopping bags in one hand and a
tiny umbrella in another making a futile attempt to keep dry. As I entered the restaurant
Red Carpet, its space- fine dining, lounge, patios, gallery, conference room and
two open kitchens pleasantly surprised me. We are usually not accustomed to
lavishly outstretched restaurants in hubs such as Durbar Marg.
The red color had already worked up an appetite in me. Psychologically
the color red triggers hunger, the reason why the logos of restaurant and food
joints across the globe flaunt this color. I was stimulated as I skimmed
through the menu. The multi-cuisine included Italian, Thai, Indian, Chinese,
Continental and Neplai. We decided to do a mix of Thai and Indian.
We started our feast with Koong Thod Kratien. The spicy
fried prawn with dry garlic served with Thai sauce made me savor each bite and reach
out for more. My taste buds could not get enough of the fine blend of spices
and prawns with a hint of garlic. We then added some Indian flavor with the
famous mutton seekh kabab. Grilled on a skewer, the taste of kabab was
accentuated by fresh herbs and spices.
I always thought an open kitchen was a subtle hint by the chef
challenging customers to critique his/her art. I personally think it is a very
bold move to have an open kitchen in a restaurant. The hygiene, the process of
cooking and the system the kitchen follows is confidently displayed before
scrutiny eyes. It is commendable that under chaos the kitchen is still spic and
span.
Our main course comprised of trout and pork chops. The fresh trout was cooked using saffron
sauce. It was served with sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes. The taste made
me reminisce of a similar dish I had tried in Kerela, India. For an instance I
could actually smell the sea and visualize the green palm trees. It could have
been the saffron sauce or the hint of coconut oil that trigged this memory.
The pork chops were grilled with ratatouille and rosemary
sauce. Tenzing was devouring his fresh trout and paid no heed to the pork
chops that were served with mashed potatoes. It was a good proportion and I had
difficulty finishing it as I had greedily pounced on the prawns earlier.
I am a woman who strongly believes in customer service and
have witnessed a void in this sector in Nepal. There is little or no effort to
fill this gap. After my visit to Red Carpet, I will have to rethink my
judgment. On arrival, the server assisted me with my bags and umbrella even
before Tenzing could come around and help me. Later when we decided to sit
in the patio for sometime and enjoy the night view of the street, our server
got our bags and belongings. She was proactive and alert to her customers
needs. Her name is Christina Subba. I will remember her name as the service she
rendered has made me rethink the quality of customer service in this country. I
even think we are moving towards a positive trend.
As I gazed down from the patio and got ready to leave, there
was a drizzle with a calming breeze. Greeting Subba as I made my way out of the
restaurant, the wide smile on my face displayed a happy customer and a
satisfied stomach.
...
EC
