Also read | 5 delicious regional dishes you must try Think Nepali cuisine begins and ends with momos slathered in fiery red chutney? Then you’re missing out on an entire universe of Himalayan flavours. India’s love affair with momos is practically legendary, but there is an entire world of regional cooking high up in the mountains that rarely reaches urban Indian dining tables.
Enter Vivek Man Sherchan, founder and CEO of the Kathmandu restaurant, Jimbu Thakali. Having already served millions of thalis across its flagship Kathmandu outlets, Jimbu Thakali has made its Indian debut in Gurugram. And Vivek’s mission is clear: he’s here to take Indian diners far beyond fast food and introduce them to the deep, provenance-led heritage of Nepal’s Thakali cuisine. For decades, Indians have associated Himalayan food almost exclusively with quick-service momo stalls. he believes it is actually the momo that paved the way for deeper culinary curiosity While Vivek acknowledges how much India loves the beloved dumpling. “Nepal and India have been known as having a ‘roti and beti’ relationship. When asked about the visual narrative, Vivek shares the traditional design story behind the restaurant’s striking wooden elements: “The windows were made in Kathmandu and fitted here in Gurugram. The restaurant derives its name from jimbu — an aromatic Himalayan wild herb harvested in the high-altitude region of Mustang. “Jimbu is basically dried shallot, but you can only find this particular shallot in Mustang. Since our culinary roots are Mustang (Thak Khola), that is the significance of the brand name Jimbu,” he explains. Beyond the signature thali set, the menu showcases the true diversity of Mustang’s foodscape: from buckwheat specialities to crowd favourites like momo. “Mustang probably grows the best buckwheat in the world. Mutton momo is our best seller. And, of course, thali is our winner. Having perfected a central-kitchen model back home to maintain strict quality standards, Vivek is applying the same operational lessons to his Delhi-NCR expansion: “We do best with a central kitchen for consistency. Having a central kitchen really helps. For food lovers across Delhi-NCR eager to broaden their palates, Jimbu Thakali offers a taste of traditional Himalayan food — proving that Nepali cuisine is so much richer, warmer, and more complex than just momos.
We have sold a lot of thalis, close to 3 million, but we do have varieties of other Nepali appetisers and entrees from all ethnicities of Nepal.
We have always embraced each other’s culinary culture, especially with the latest tsunami of momo,” Vivek says. “The herb Jimbu represents Mustang,” Vivek says. We do have a lot of buckwheat dishes, like Thakali buckwheat nachos and kanchyamba (Thakali buckwheat fries),” Vivek highlights, adding, “We have a variety of sukuti dishes (dehydrated mutton).
