Though Fairfax City has a varied dining scene, a couple from Nepal saw a void that they could fill with their home country’s cuisine.
The resulting restaurant Wow Nepal, located at 10728 Fairfax Blvd, had its soft opening on Jan. 28. Chef Bewek Bastola runs it alongside his wife, Samrina Pandit.
Bastola told FFXnow he received culinary training in Nepal and spent 12 years in Europe working for Mediterranean, French and Portuguese restaurants.
The idea for Wow Nepal took off after Bastola married Pandit and moved to the U.S. to be with her.
“Since I moved here, she wanted to open a Nepalese restaurant,” Bastola said. “Since I’m Nepali and rooted in the Nepalese culture, I know how to cook the Nepalese food as well. Eventually I had to agree with her, so I said ‘let’s give it a try.'”
Wow Nepal’s menu is largely focused on street food.
So far, popular choices for diners are the restaurant’s momos (Nepalese dumplings served with a tomato-based sauce), Timbur wings (tossed in Himalayan Timbur spice) and poleko sekuwa (grilled chicken or pork skewers with Nepalese spices).
The menu also includes Nepalese takes on favorites like chow mein and tacos. Other highlights are Thukpa (Himalayan noodle soup), Chitwan ko Taas (slow-cooked goat meat served with puffed rice, mixed vegetable achar, salad and peanut sadheko) and tareko machha (fried Branzino).
“Slowly people are getting used to our food and they are eager to try more things,” Bastola said.
Bastola, who lives with his wife minutes away from the restaurant, appreciates the diverse kinds of cuisine Fairfax provides. But Nepali cuisine has been one option lacking within the city.
“Since we are between India and China, people don’t really know much about our cuisine,” Bastola said. “There’s a stereotype that Nepalese cuisine is similar to Indian cuisine, which [it] is, but is not in a way … If different types of people come in and try it, they will really get to know our Nepalese cuisine.”
According to Bastola, the restaurant will add more menu items in the future and will give back to the community once business grows. The owners are considering a grand opening in late March or April.
