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AN EVENING AT BRICKS CAFE

Recently reopened after being rebuilt following earthquake damage, Bricks Cafe provides a classy but relaxed setting for tasty Nepali and continental food. Set back off busy Pulchowk in Lalitpur, the spacious old Newari house and garden is a peaceful place for an after-work drink or full meal.

To start, we ordered peanut sadeko. I can tolerate a reasonable amount of chilli spice, but sometimes find the enormous amounts in my favourite Nepali bar snack a bit overwhelming. At Bricks, the peanut sadeko was very tasty, but lacked any chilli whatsoever. At first I appreciated the ability to taste the peanuts, onion and coriander, but I soon wished they’d added a little bit of spice. My Nepali companion suggested that the chefs had seen that I am not Nepali and held off on the chilli. If true, it was a bit of a shame.

I started with a cocktail. I am a Mojito lover, and have sampled them around the world. The quality of this drink is often a sign of the bartender’s skills, as it is a simple enough drink (consisting of white rum, soda water, fresh mint, lime and a little sugar syrup) yet if the balance of ingredients is wrong, it can be cloyingly sweet. I was pleased that my Mojito at Bricks—though a little too small and heavy on the ice—was zesty and refreshing.

He ordered a cheese pizza with extra bacon. The pizzas at Bricks Cafe are cooked in a wood-fire oven, so the bases are perfectly crisp and not oily, as can often be the case with pizza. They are very large, and I suggested that my friend didn’t need to finish the whole pizza, and that we could take it home for breakfast. But he told me that there is no custom in Nepal of packing up leftovers for later. So, only order a pizza at Bricks if you are very hungry, or willing to share.

Coming from an island nation, I miss good fish and seafood in Nepal. I ordered the whole grilled trout to satisfy my craving, and I wasn’t disappointed. The medium-sized fish was grilled to perfection with a crispy skin and soft white flesh, and accompanied by fries and steamed vegetables with a garlic butter dressing on the side, so I could choose my own butter saturation level.

My companion and I were seated on a couch on the upstairs terrace overlooking the garden. An attractive feature of Bricks is the different seating spaces—the garden, the patio, on lounge chairs or at more formal tables inside. This means you can choose your own ambience, and that no two visits to Bricks need be the same.

BRICKS, A BRIDGE BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Many Kathmanduites know Bricks Cafe for its delicious food including the famous fire-wood pizza and its authentic traditional Nepali architecture but only a few know of it as a community-oriented business. At a time when restaurants in Nepal are dependent on imported ingredients, Bricks Cafe hopes to pave the way for supporting more local suppliers. Currently, around 95% of the ingredients that are used at Bricks Cafe are sourced locally.

In recent times, one of its local suppliers is a community from the small village of Barauli in Nawalpur district of Nepal. Barauli is home to the indigenous Tharu community who have been running the Barauli Community Homestay in addition to their farming activities since 2015. In the absence of tourism due to the COVID-19 crisis, the community is left to find other sources of income. In collaboration with Community Homestay Network, the community has been sustainably farming ducks, fish and chicken, which are then supplied to restaurants like Bricks Cafe. The “Barauli ko Haas” (homestyle prepared duck dish) served at Bricks Cafe has already become a favorite of the visitors who frequent the restaurant.

By sourcing some ingredients from the community of Barauli, Bricks Cafe has contributed to bringing over 281,000 NPR to the families in the village. This is substantial for a community that was otherwise dependent on tourism for monthly income. With increasing demand, this figure is expected to grow significantly in the coming months. Bricks Cafe is committed to supporting local communities like Barauli through business and acting as a bridge between customers and communities. For example, the name “Barauli ko Haas” on Bricks Cafe’s menu also serves to make the village of Barauli known to Bricks Cafe’s many customers.

In the future, Bricks hopes to not only continue sourcing most of its ingredients from local suppliers but it also hopes to become a hub for showcasing local products from different communities across Nepal.

So now, when you eat at Bricks Cafe, you not only please your taste buds but also your conscience as you contribute towards empowering local suppliers across the country.