Grill houses are still a new concept to the momo-pizza loving foodies of Nepal. But in our opinion Grill houses, and North American cuisine in its entirety is amazing. Apart from burgers and fries, there is a plethora of American dishes to get your hands on. We’re always game for a succulent meat slab sizzling on a hot grill. This is why we got in touch with two of the owners of the leading restaurants that boast of a mouthwatering menu of North American cuisines: Capital Grill and The Grill House. Here are the men behind the institutions Vivek Sherchan from Capital Grill and Ashish Basnet and Gaurav Agrawal from The Grill House.

 

 THE GRILL HOUSE

Ashish Basnet and Gaurav Agrawal

TNM: What did you guys think of when you decided to open up The Grill House?

AB & GA: We had discovered an excellent place in a very central location and wanted to do something that was fun and unique. That’s actually how we came up with the Grill House.

TNM: Is cooking a personal passion as well?

AB & GA: Yes, cooking is a personal passion for Gaurav and Rachael. Rachael is a partner at The Grill House; he is also involved in other restaurants. All other partners are foodies and have a thirst for good quality brews and alcohols.

TNM: What do people keep coming back for at the Grill House?

AB & GA: The chicken wings, nachos, amazing cocktails and the mesmerizing view.

TNM: Is the menu the same throughout the year? Do you have special dishes or special nights?

AB & GA: We have had the same menu since we started, but we do serve specials regularly. We are also amidst changing our menu to include grilled food from around the world. The base menu remains the same all year round, but over the next few months you will definitely see some seasonal specials and the main menu will be introducing a selection of grilled food from around the world and some classic dishes.

TNM: What are the things that you produce from scratch?

AB & GA: Most items on our menu are produced from scratch including all the dips, condiments and sauces. We import herbs, cheese and some sauces from international markets to maintain the American and Mexican flavors.

TNM: How is the business side of things for a grill house in the country?

AB & GA: Grill houses definitely are not as popular as places serving pizzas and Chinese food in our country… yet; however locals are building a taste for grilled food and things are definitely looking up.

TNM: Would you have done things differently before starting up, or have you strategized revenue models because of not meeting your initial expectations from the project?

AB & GA: Our location is the biggest advantage and also a disadvantage sometimes. We are in the centre of the city with lots of parking and a big beautiful space however we don’t get much walk in tourist clientele. (Maybe it has to do with the fact that they are located on top of an 8 storied building).

TNM: Has the use of beef brought on any issues for you? Business and otherwise.

AB & GA: No. There are a number of places serving beef in the country. As a diverse partnership from all backgrounds, we understand that everyone has different preferences and dietary choices. More than anything it is important to respect this and to put in place systems which keep foods separated as needed.

TNM: What makes your institution unique?

AB & GA: The authentic flavors, exclusive cocktails and yes, Kathmandu’s best view.

TNM: If you had to generalize, who would you say fill up the majority of your customer base?

AB & GA: It is a mix of expatriates and locals. But we see very few tourists.

TNM: What is a perfect grill, according to you?

AB & GA: Our Kathmandu Grilled Chicken; it is spicy, healthy and undoubtedly delicious.

TNM: How do you treat vegetarians come into your establishment?

AB & GA: 50 percent of our menu is Vegetarian. We have excellent vegetarian burgers and enough of other delightful options for the vegetarians.

TNM: Do you have something Nepal has never seen before?

AB & GA: Our Mount Everest Burger. This is the biggest burger in Nepal and is sure to satisfy the biggest of appetites.

TNM: For people who are not too clear about the concept of a grill house and a regular restaurant, how would you describe the ambience/essence of a grill house and what to expect?

AB & GA: Our place is a casual fun place to hang out. Our beautiful terrace combined with our food and drinks make it a perfect place to chill and relax. It is a very pleasant change from the ordinary restaurants, a  change that is quite enrapturing.

 

CAPITAL GRILL

Vivek Sherchan

TNM: What were you thinking of when you decided to open The Capital Grill?

VS: I wanted to kick off something new in the restaurant business of Kathmandu. Yes, there were almost 120 restaurants in Kathmandu, but almost all of their menus were the same. Capital Grill was established to start off a one of a kind American menu. I was in the US for a long time working in the restaurant business from level zero to manager level, and the American dining culture really caught my fancy. And I wanted to bring that here; for the US returnees to relive that experience and the new people to experience it for the first time.

TNM: What do people keep coming back for at The Capital Grill?

VS: We are proud of our unique menu at Capital Grill. We have cuisines from South Texas, Mexican entrees, various dishes from the North US. So the food is something our customers love.

Then there is the ambience and environment. Apart from the music and layout of the restaurant, we want our customers to be comfortable. This isn’t a place you’d go for a fine dining experience, this is where you come to get your hands dirty and keep it messy. Our menu features a lot of comfort food, for most of which you really don’t need to use any utensils. Just grab a hold of the burger and tear into it, pick up the wings and fries and annihilate them (then lick your fingers for good measure).

ALL OUR SAUCES, VINAIGRETTES AND DRESSINGS ARE PREPARED IN OUR
KITCHEN BY OUR CHEFS. THEY ARE A CORE COMPONENT IN MAKING OUR DISHES DIFFERENT AND LIP SMACKING GOOD.

TNM: What are the things that you produce from scratch?

VS: All our sauces, vinaigrettes and dressings are prepared in our kitchen by our chefs. They are a core component in making our dishes different and lip smacking good.

TNM: How is the business side of things for a grill house in the country?

VS: It’s good. But we are always learning from our experiences and we adapt accordingly. There aren’t too many foodies in Nepal yet, and people still stick to the regular daal-bhaat for the majority of their meals. Going out to eat is a weekly affair at best. We’re also more prone to sticking to more conventional dishes like momos and pizzas when we go out to eat. So, this is a pretty new concept still.

TNM: Would you have done things differently before starting up, or have you re strategized revenue models because of not meeting your initial expectations from the project?

VS: Not really. Like I said, we learn from our experiences and we adapt. Initially, the people that were regularly visiting were mostly from the upper middle class. But we want Capital Grill to be appealing to the general crowd, it is “your neighborhood bar and grill”.

TNM: Has the use of beef brought on any issues for you? Business and otherwise.

VS: Not really actually. Nepal is a true democratic nation in this sense I guess.

TNM: Are there any plans for new outlets?

VS: Yes, in the long run. We are thinking of a place dedicated to just burgers and fries.

TNM: If you had to generalize, who would you say fill up the majority of your customer base?

VS: When we first opened Capital Grill, the only people coming in were my friends. But now we get our fair share of customers.

TNM: How do you treat vegetarians come into your establishment?

VS: Very well in fact. We have an extensive list of vegetarian items on our menu, and they’re printed in green for your benefit.