Indochen recently hosted its third Wine and Food pairing dinner, but this one was extra special! Chef Ram Thapa and staff served us their native Nepalese food, and they found a California winery that had just the right wines the chef wanted for the pairings.
Since Indochen opened in 2020, during the pandemic, our neighborhood restaurant has had an ever-growing following for its Indian/Asian fusion cuisine. But this would be a real test – a dinner with all four courses from Nepal.
A dish from Indochen's Wine and Food pairing dinner.
The Nepalese Wine and Food pairing was larger than previous ones, as so many wanted to try the cuisine. Many were curious about what would be served, asking questions like, “Will we be eating Yak?!”
Yak was not on the menu, but many delicious foods prepared the Nepalese way were. For dinner—yellowfin tuna, lobster momo (dumplings), roasted goat with five different sides, and rice pudding for dessert. The main course was served in the traditional Nepalese way: We were each served on a metal tray with six sections. Those of us who were born and raised in the USA immediately said – Swanson’s TV Dinner! (We will have to explain this one to the staff who have never had frozen food. It was far from frozen food.) Interestingly, they served the red wine pairing first and then moved to whites, and the last was sweet. Like the wine and food, the service at the dinner was excellent – very professional yet personable.
Most, if not all, of the gregarious Indochen staff are from other countries. Over time, they have enjoyed learning about each other’s traditions, and are happy to share their own when asked by diners. Many Cameron Station residents secretly think that the staff believes Americans have a party for something every week, most of which require colored beads and funny hats. Indochen is open to hosting all kinds of parties and celebrations: Even though they had to ask “What is a derby?” they hosted a delightful Kentucky Derby watching party in May. Last week, the restaurant closed on Sunday to host a beautiful wedding and reception from the local Madagascar community. And we now know that the restaurant will be closed in October on Vijayadashami, a major Hindu festival.
We haven’t yet heard when the next food and wine pairing will be, and the Nepalese one will be hard to top…but you can count on Indochen!
Lenore Marema moved from Chicago 18 years ago for a great job opportunity. When she left Chicago, it was 20 below zero and when she arrived in downtown DC, it was sunny and 43. She landed in Cameron Station, a welcoming community. She retired here 5 years ago and continues to visit friends in Chicago in the summer and remains a Chicago Cubs fan.
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