Unearthing a Gem in the Heart of Patan

When someone mentions Patan, the first thing that goes through people’s minds is of course the Durbar Square and the Krishna Mandir, but if you asked me, I would probably tell you that the first thing that comes to my mind are the gullies that make Patan. There are so many stories, so much history going through all the gullies that it would take a long time to go through each one of those stories. It had been quite a while since I had walked those gullies, trying to find a story--for me to learn, and a new story that I could write, and it took a while but I came across a place.

There are many local stores that you can find in the city. Through one gully or the other, you’re bound to find an eatery or a store, and the funny thing is every store makes the place feel more homey. If you know your way around Patan, then you’re bound to have come across a sign that reads ‘Coffee, Tea & Me’. If you’re making your way towards Swotha, then it’s really less likely that you haven’t seen it. 

Coffee, Tea & Me was yet another story that had been hidden from me and am I glad that I was finally able to find it. The small cafe was a perfect host for the afternoon, with a dimly lit, cozy ambience, it was an ideal spot to hang out with friends and have a wonderful dining experience. Despite being almost at the heart of Patan, the taste that chef delivered was beyond what I had been used to. It was an experience that brought together the ideas that I had about food into one exquisite plate and quite rightly so, I kept craving for more.

Coffee, Tea & Me has been a buzz on social media for quite a while, especially for its famous Pork Chops, and I wanted to see what the buzz was about. Before I could tackle the pork chops, the starter was a new addition to their menu, ‘Bangers & Mash’. The dish has some elements that could be a hit or even a miss for the Nepalese taste, but I found it quite interesting. The German Bratwurst was the banger! It had a unique taste, different from the taste that the sausages that we can find in the local markets. It’s certainly not a taste that people are used to yet. The sausage sat on a bed of mashed potatoes, and came with a garlic-ginger infused tomato dip. For me, the mash was a miss despite it having a soothing taste. The mash was lumpy, which made it heavier and could’ve been a better pair had it been creamier. However, the dip was a hit! For anyone who likes a bit of zing with garlic and ginger, this tangy-zingy dip would be a perfect pair with the bratwurst. Another good thing about the dip is that they also have a lemongrass based tomato dip, which might intrigue people as well. If I had to have this dish at any time of the day, I would say this would make for a good start to any lunch. 

The second dish, Grilled Fish Fillet with a garden salad and a tangy tomato sauce, was a wonderful follow up to the Bangers & Mash. The grilled fish fillet was wonderfully grilled and the char on the fish skin was perfectly visible, which had me thinking that the fish could still have been firm, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! Despite the char, the fish fell apart at the touch of a fork, which made the dish more exciting. You could absolutely taste the charred flavour in each forkful but that still wouldn’t create much of a bad impact. The garden salad was, for me, a miss! I couldn’t help concentrating on the fish, and the salad that looked hastily put together didn’t really elevate the dish in any way. 

Finally, the star of the afternoon was the Grilled Pork Chop, with spaghetti and their signature Schezwan sauce. If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ll have already seen the pictures of this dish, and the praise for it. The best element of this dish, apart from the meat, was the Schezwan sauce! Honestly, this sauce makes you want to order seconds! The meat itself--succulent, perfectly seasoned and explosive once paired with the sauce is a definite delight! This star dish elevates the entire eatery into something of an American Bistro-esque dimension and you can’t concentrate on anything but the food on your plate! The spaghetti--al dente--complimented the dish marvellously and created a more filling portion. There must be quite a handful of places that serve pork chops, but maybe--just maybe~~-the Grilled Pork Chops at Coffee, Tea & Me are the best around town. But hey! This is just one opinion! 

So if you find yourself wandering around Patan, thinking about what to eat and where to go, it’d be a smart choice to make it down to Coffee, Tea & Me! Let loose, sit down and dive into the wonderful tastes served by the chef. If you’re a fan of watching food being prepared, its an open kitchen, you can drown in fantasy and watch as your dish makes it way onto you table right before your eyes! 


Chef’s Corner

Chef Rubindra Maharjan, dove into his passion for cooking soon after graduating from school, when it led him into the kitchen at Hotel Shanker where he gained valuable experience. Having lived in Australia for quite some time, the food scene he had known in Nepal had already changed, and keeping his passion and drive in mind, he quickly got back into the Nepalese food scene. After working a few odd jobs, he ventured out for himself to bring his own mark on the plate, and later started “Coffee, Tea & Me” in Patan. With a wonderful palate, he finds joy in bringing smiles to faces, experimenting and bringing his own creations onto the plate, and doing what he does, which has resonated significantly in all the dishes that he prepares.