Bringing about the next food culture, the next food sensation that is to sweep the Nepali Foodies off their feet is a task easier said than done, however through their vibrant ambience, gobsmacking food, and a deep connection to the community they look to thrive in, Zest Cafe and Community seems to be the next to-be place in town.
Tiffanie Lloyd, owner of Zest Cafe and Community, says, “The time I came to Nepal from America with my husband, I knew I needed to start doing something on my own. So, I had decided to open a cafe that would be serving something different. Hence the reason why we chose to serve TexMex. It is different and no one really serves it here. But when we first opened the cafe, it was lockdown and we were only doing delivery. But now that the market is open, the turnout is incredible.”
“Zest has completed its 8 months and although it was hard to bring in Nepali customers at first, now we have a lot of regular customers,” she adds.
When I had first heard about Zest from one of my friends, I was obviously intrigued to go there. For people who know me, the resident foodie, the thought of a new food culture excites my very particular palate moved me to my very core.
A colleague by my side, we made the trip to Zest on a gloriously sunny and vibrant day, foreboding of the food and experience we were to have.
The first thing that caught my eyes was the rather homely aura the cafe exuded, Lloyd says, “I did not have a full picture on how I wanted the cafe to look like, but I wanted people to feel welcomed. While there are many cafes and restaurants people can choose from, I wanted Zest to be a bit different, a place where people feel welcomed as well. So it is also a community centre, where kids and parents can come in to feel like they belong.”
Thus, they let people borrow books, organise book clubs and maintain a rather vivid community board one can behold at their very entrance laden with little notice about happenings in the community topped off by a couple of taco traced colouring sheets that the children partake in while at the cafe!
While I was excited to try their food, Lloyd explained how they have a system where they prepare the food early in the morning and put it in a food warmer to keep the dishes fresh and warm. “It usually takes too long in different restaurants and cafes, so we wanted to do quick service for people who go to offices,” says Lloyd.
And amongst the conversation we were having with the lovely Lloyd, on came the other star of the day, the pork nachos. These corn nachos served with cheese, tomatoes, pork and overall delight, for want of a better word, were simply astounding. By maintaining and playing at the core flavours of the ingredients on display, the pork nachos tread a fine balance between the rather strong taste of the 100% pure corn nachos with the tart of the tomatoes and the savouriness of the pork. And for every bite of the TexMex goodness that we indulged in, the added ‘zest’ of the tomato chutney induced a burst of fluffy freshness in the dish.
From their TexMex platter to their special coffee beans, Zest also makes their own ice cream. In winter they only serve their basic flavours: Cinnamon, Vanilla, while in the Summer, Lloyd tries to add two new flavours every two month. “I try to blend in different flavours and see if it works or not myself,” says Lloyd.
As for their future plans, Zest is looking to open their new franchise in Baluwatar and Pokhara. “We not only want to bring new cuisine to the people but also build a community, where they not only enjoy good food but also a place they can relax and feel like they belong,” adds Lloyd.
Contacts:
Instagram: zest_ktm
Website: zestktm.com
Contact No.: 9808032346
Address: Bhaisipati, Lalitpur
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