Atop a hill near the centre of Dhulikhel, Himalaya Drishya Resort hovers over the city as a serene sanctuary for travellers visiting the picturesque town. As you step through its gates, a tranquil symphony of flowing water from dhungedharas (stone taps) lined along the outer walls of the in-house Himalaya Cafe welcomes you. An extensive infinity pool lies up front, with a children’s play section on one side.

As you move on from the poolside oasis and climb up the stairs, you enter Drishya Restaurant with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows that unveil a panoramic view of the hills and the mountains. While the expansive indoor space is cosy and charming, visitors also have the option of dining out on the patio overlooking the beautiful scenery.

The restaurant offers Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines, tweaking some of the dishes a little to fit the palette of their mostly Nepali, Indian and Chinese customers.

Caesar Salad

Served on a simple, unassuming plate, the Caesar Salad was light and refreshing—the perfect starter to the feast. While it may look all that appetising visually, the salad’s true appeal is how fresh all ingredients are.

Accompanying the salad was garlic bread, golden and textured, which added a nice contrast to the tender lettuce leaves. Drishya uses fresh yak cheese instead of the conventional parmesan option, which compliments the salad with its unique tang. The sun-dried tomatoes add vibrancy to the salad, both visually and in terms of the taste, leaving behind a chewy tart aftertaste.

Chef Special Burger

On a pristine white plate, the Chef Special Burger was accompanied by a small heap of crisp fries and a fresh salad of thinly sliced onions, radish, and beetroot. The bun on top was placed on the side, making the sunny side up underneath it visible, with crisp lettuce leaves peeking out from its edges—the whole thing held together by a wooden skewer.

Biting into the burger was a delight. The juicy patty, gently charred to perfection, was succulent and tender. The creaminess of the melted yak cheese, the subtle crunch of fresh lettuce, and the tangy onions added delectable contrasts to its texture.

Rainbow Momo

The Rainbow Momo is a captivating kaleidoscope of flavours and colours, exquisitely mirroring the hues of the rainbow. Some of the colours are achieved by mixing vegetables like spinach, carrot and purple cabbage with flour, while other momos swap regular flour for buckwheat and millet flour.

I hold the belief that aachar (usually tomato chutney) can often elevate the momo. A delectable aachar has the power to make even an ordinary dumpling enjoyable. But at Drishya, I liked the momo by itself, with its flavourful keema filling devoid of excessive onions—which have, in the past, spoiled momo for me with their mushy texture. This is served with classic momo aachar and chilly sauce.

I also enjoyed the different textures brought on by the different flours, my favourite being the millet flour momo which surprised me with its delectable nuttiness.

Drishya Special Chicken

The Drishya Special Chicken was my favourite among the dishes I tried at the restaurant. The succulent and tender meat was flavoured with a variety of herbs—with thyme being a stand out—all adding to its taste without overpowering one other.

Made from minced chicken meat stuffed inside its skin—the dish is topped with olives, green chilly, garlic, cheese and various herbs. The chicken is then grilled, sliced and served with a delicious lemon basil cream sauce. The dish also includes buttered vegetables and ‘herb potatoes,’ which is basically a tastier version of mashed potatoes infused with herbs.

Chilly Garlic Prawn

Drishya’s Chilly Garlic Prawn is another must-try. The fragrant rice nestled alongside the prawns was topped with another sunny side up, with two crimson chillies fashioned into the semblance of pincers placed on top—a warning of the fiery flavour of the dish.

The prawn was a delight to have and its chewiness hinted at its freshness. I also loved how spicy the prawn and the rice were. The butter-sauteed vegetables—carrots, cauliflower and asparagus—on the side were fresh and crisp.

Although pretty tasty overall, the dish might not suit everyone’s palette as it leaves behind a bit of a seafood aftertaste—possibly because of the fish sauce and chilly sauce used to marinate the rice.

Drishya Restaurant

Location: Himalaya Drishya Restaurant, Dhulikhel, Kavre

Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm

Delivery: On request

Parking: Inside hotel premises