Firmly anchored on solid ground prepare to set sail on a menu of huge variety and quality at The Ship.

--BY AASHIYANA ADHIKARI

It's easy to get swayed in conversation at The Ship Restaurant Bar and Lounge located at the northern end of Thamel. But you'll pause at some point, just to look down at your plate, and applaud yourself for your food choices because the cuisine here is really that good. The Ship already feels like an old reliable, and not just because of the food - it’s also run like a well-oiled machine. You can easily quickly list all the notable things about the place. The overall design of the restaurant is minimalistic yet attractive. The ordered food comes out quickly. There are two private dining rooms that can hold up to eight to 11 guests at a single sitting. The dining rooms have a traditional Nepali style seating arrangement. The servers wear crisp white shirts and chambray aprons, and while they’re very polite, you will also get the sense that they’ve undergone meticulous training. 

The restaurant, which opened three years ago, targets both foreign and local guests. "At first, we focused only on upper class guests," says Ramesh Shrestha, Manager of the restaurant. "But now we are open to everyone," he adds. The two and half storied restaurant can seat up to 200 people at one go. The food served in the restaurant can be enjoyed in its beautiful garden and terrace areas. 

Recently, experienced hands from Kilroy’s of Kathmandu boarded The Ship after the iconic Thamel restaurant shut its doors last year. The team brought with it the flavours introduced by the celebrated Irish chef Thomas Kilroy who opened Kilroy’s of Kathmandu in 1998. The restaurant is famous for its sea and marine food. It alone serves eight varieties of fish dishes. Himalayan Grilled Trout (Trout marinated in local herbs served with mashed parsley potato boiled vegetables and caper butter sauce) is a must try here.

The Head Chef Deepak Magar is an expert in preparing Continental and Indian dishes.  He recently introduced a new dish with mouth-watering flavours and named it Kathmandu Chicken (grilled chicken breast topped with bacon, cheese, tomato and served with mashed potato, boiled vegetables and BBQ sauce). "It has become very popular among the customers in a very short span of time," Magar shares.

The Ship isn't an inexpensive eatery. Nevertheless, in an area where dropping dollars on grub is a given, it’s a breath of fresh air when the food is legitimately awesome.   The restaurant also hosts corporate meetings and family dinners. The menu can be overwhelming with one eatery section not having less than five varieties.  

Spaghetti with Goat-Cheese and Crispy Bacon Bits is mesmerising with its amazing flavours. The steak served here is remarkable among which the Sizzling Tenderloin Steak (Steak cooked according to your liking served with chips and salad) is among the signature dishes served here.  On the vegetarian side, Homemade Tagliatelle with Capsicum and Mushrooms in a delicately aromatic tomato sauce is incredibly tasty.  You cannot afford to miss the luscious Saffron and Mushroom Risotto (Black trumpet mushroom, white wine and whipped cream). 

The Royal Dal Bhat (Basmati rice, black lentils, wilted spinach, tomato and gundruk pickles, salad, papad and special curd) is a must try for people who want to taste authentic Nepali food served in the traditional style.  The Indian delicacies served here should not be missed.  Chiken Malai Kebab (boneless chicken marinated in a cashew paste, cream, cheese with mild spices roasted in a clay oven, served with salad and mint sauce) is as scrumptious as it sounds. Meanwhile, there is an excellent range of organic coffee to satisfy your thirst of caffeine as well.  The bar has amazing lighting and music to give you an exciting vibe. The non-alcoholic drinks served here are very refreshing including the Virgin Mojito, Flamingo, Shirley Temple and Mint Lemonade mocktails. Likewise, you can ask for cocktails such as Mojito, Daiquiri, Long Island Iced Tea and Tequila Sunrise Margarita. The restaurant’s bar menu hosts a long list of beers, wines and hard drinks. 

The food is as creative as it is tasty, so much so that you will legitimately be sad to get to the end of one plate only to get just as excited about what’s going to show up on your table next.  So, get ready for the excitement and do visit for an amazing experience with food.