Nepal's Cafe

Quiet riverfront of
Nepal's Cafe

Nepal's Cafe

184 E. Elkhorn Ave. Unit H
Estes Park, CO 80517

970.577.7035

We enjoyed the great good fortune of dining at Nepal's Cafe in Estes Park on the very night that the restaurant reopened following the devastating floods in September. The restaurant enjoys a riverfront face on a serene walkway that was completely inundated during the recent deluge, and the venue was closed for weeks due to the damage they sustained as a result. It was an honor to witness the joyful return of local diners who clearly hold the restaurant dear. Regulars were greeted like family and the restaurant proprietors were pleased to produce homemade favorites for their loyal clientele, who had clearly missed their spicy, fragrant fare.

Golden Samosas

The restaurant is attired with posters and maps of majestic Nepali peaks and photos of the proprietor who, in his younger days, traversed them. The small restaurant is warm and cozy in earthy reds and browns, and the long tables can provide a party of two the opportunity to sit with strangers who, by the end of the meal, become friends.

We enjoyed just such an opportunity when we shared a table with Marcia and Jim, a couple whose residence is in Pinewood Springs and who are enthusiastic regulars of Nepal's. The opening night for the cafe, a month after the floods, was also the first night the couple had been able to get out of their home. There was no question where they would celebrate the occasion. "You found the best restaurant in Estes," Marcia told me conspiratorially at our shared table. "We were so happy they were opened tonight!"

Tandoori Chicken

Ordering became an opportunity for the delightful couple to show off their knowledge of the menu and to share favorites. Don ordered the Lamb Vindaloo, a savory and  fragrant concoction which combines regional ginger, pepper and coriander with New World chilies to make a rich and flavorful dish traditional to the Goa region of India, southwest of Nepal. Our server highly recommended the Chicken Korma, a word orginally meaning 'braise' or 'braised meat,' which she said is her favorite. I ordered the dish with vegetables and it was delightful. The creamy, spicy simmer sauce combines cloves, cardamom and, my personal favorite, cumin for a spicy sweet and tangy sauce that blossoms in the cream and the tender chicken.

Momo is handmade

Our table companions ordered the Kothe Momo, a house-made dumpling filled with seasoned ground chicken and vegetables. While they were very good, I must say I preferred the Chat Samosas, lovely bag shaped pastries stuffed with seasoned potatoes, peas with yogurt and fresh vegetables which were beautifully hand formed and toasted to a perfectly even golden brown. Marcia and Jim also ordered a favorite dish made with fresh pan-fried noodles that they told me were hand made by "Mama," and traditional Tandoori Chicken, which was seared to crispy, juicy perfection. 

Dessert was a unique custard of grated, fresh coconut simmered in milk, sugar and cocoa. Our host also insisted we try their house specialty, rice pudding, served with toasted slivered almonds and a shaker of Madagascar cinnamon, both of which would have also been welcome to complement the Chocolate Coconut. 

We were delighted to have had the opportunity to be a part of the reopening of a local favorite in Estes Park and we have definite plans to return to enjoy their spicy, fragrant food and the company of newly found friends.