Shiva Gautam brought Nepalese food to these shores in 1997 with his hugely successful Montys of Kathmandu. 12 years later he took his multi-award-winning formula to the smart suburb of Rathgar where he has more space to accommodate greater numbers of diners. Unlike the low-key premises in Temple Bar Montys of Rathgar has two spacious dining rooms and a large outdoor patio perfect for al fresco dining.
Upstairs there’s a mix of conventional seating and low Nepalese tables, while a well-stocked bar and dining room fill the ground floor. The décor borrows much from Nepal’s traditional interiors, with dark woods, heavy pillars and rich ornamentation. While it won’t be to the taste of everyone the decor reflects the authentic nature of Montys and its excellent cooking.
This Dublin restaurants chefs are all Nepali – along with most of the staff, who have been rigorously trained and are a perfect mix of professional and friendly – and everything is made fresh in house, from the spice mixes to the condiments and paneer cheese. A six-course tasting menu is a good showcase for Monty’s fare, and while some dishes are closely related to Indian cuisine, Nepalese food has its own distinct flavouring and style.
Tender tandoori-cooked poleko squid arrives on a sizzling hot plate with complex spices. Lamb features prominently, and won’t disappoint, from the meatball-like minced cubes (masu ko bari) in a gingery tomato sauce to masu ra sag, melt-in-the-mouth lamb pieces served in an exquisite spinach sauce. Don’t miss the house dessert of gajar ko haluwa – a light and sticky carrot cake fragrant with cardamom which makes an unexpected and delicious end to a meal here.
The wine list is thoughtfully broken down into categories to make it extra accessible to customers, and offerings are well priced. A choice of beers is offered too, although Montys popular Shiva lager, a bespoke Irish brew especially produced for the restaurant, is regrettably no longer available (the microbrewery recently closed down.)
Fans of the Montys of Kathmandu can expect the same standards of excellence that the city centre restaurant delivers; newcomers to this suburban eatery will delight in discovering an exciting cuisine that is prepared with skill, passion and pride.
Seats 80 (private room, 20; outdoors, 20); children welcome; wheelchair access to ground floor only (not to toilets). D daily 5-11pm (to 10pm Sun). Set D €24.95 available all evening Sun-Thur. 6 course gourmet D €50. SC 12% on groups 6+. Closed 25-26 Dec. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
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