Happy Valentine’s, everyone!
We’re not open today, but if you want to make momos for your booboo we hope you got the bookbook. And if you really want to make an impression, let me recommend having a go at Beef Thenthuk, the first bowl of deliciousness that Yeshi ever placed before me (the dish that sealed the deal). Page 116 of the cookbook, with full commentary on page 1 of the Introduction for those who enjoy a love story.
Next week Yeshi is returning to India for the first time in over a decade. The family lama is receiving an important investiture at Gyuto Monastery just outside Dharamsala, the town where we met. He’ll be back for a couple of days revisiting old haunts, if any. Dharamsala has changed a lot since we were there.
But he’ll spend most of his time in Delhi. The main reason that Yeshi is going to India is that a relative is dying. The agony is that we were in the process of bringing this relative to the UK when we received news of his terminal diagnosis. One minute he was halfway here and – mentally – already a fixture of the 2023 Taste Tibet team. The next Yeshi is on his way over to see him instead.
It’s been a difficult few months. Our kitchen is understaffed for the volumes that we cater and the scale of our ambition. This year we were determined to be able to run the restaurant alongside our summer festival fixtures (something we haven’t managed to pull off yet), but this looks very unlikely now. You’ll have read a couple of weeks ago that Yeshi’s brother’s application to join us on a Skilled Worker visa from New York was recently denied. We will reapply, but this double blow means that we’re currently in a kitchen situation that looks very different to the one that we’d anticipated.
Earlier this week Yeshi unearthed some wonderful pictures from India days that he completely forgot he had. We chose to post this one today as it shows Yeshi celebrating Tibetan Losar (New Year) in his dorm room in Dharamsala many moons ago. He’ll be seeing in the New Year there again next week with lots of mixed feelings.
Very sad not to be open during the week of Losar (Tuesday 21st February). As things currently stand we are unable to operate at all without Yeshi in situ, so the restaurant will be shut next week, 20th February, reopening on Wednesday 1st March, when he’s back. Please do come and visit us this week before our short hiatus. We’re open all the usual hours, as follows:
Wednesday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Thursday – Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
Our menu is out now – check the website for full details. Come for dine in, hot food takeaway or freezer food, our chilli oil and signed copies of our cookbook.
Happy Valentine’s Day and looking forward to seeing you soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds: 5-9.30pm
Thurs – Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
* CLOSED NEXT WEEK *
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