We overindulged on Saturday night. Our neighbourhood bookshop, the fabulous Caper, had a Christmas party in their back room, a space that you actually access through a wardrobe. Like real-life Narnia, the portal doesn’t appear to work on command. We arrived early, planning on a quick Christmas tipple before heading back the restaurant, but found ourselves unable to leave (thank you Xander and Miranda, Jess on food and everyone in the room for your scintillating conversation).
Yeshi’s family are not big boozers, and when I met him he wasn’t a drinker at all. It’s one of the reasons I picked him: growing up in a Jewish household, alcohol was on the dinner table on Friday nights but didn’t otherwise have pride of place, food and conversation featuring much larger. This made Yeshi a good match, I thought.
Of course, years in the UK have had their effect. Turns out that the main reason he didn’t partake was lack of opportunity. In India, where we met, there are lots of laws around alcohol, and even when he was living in places where it is tolerated, nobody in his world could afford to drink much.
These days Yeshi does enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the working day, and he’s also something of a home brewer. But anyone who’s worked alongside us at festivals will know that Taste Tibet is not the stall you apply to if you’re looking for late night larks. We do our best, but the case of beer we buy in before the event often travels back with us at the end of the weekend.
Between our indifference, intolerance, and the demands of running our business and family, hangovers are mercifully rare over here.
But we have a remedy for them when they land. In Yeshi’s home in Tibet, relatives prepare this special dish as a matter of course after big nights out. It’s made from cured, frozen yak meat, but beef will also work. You pound the chilled meat with a mortar and pestle, and then ground in generous amounts of garlic, chilli and Sichuan peppercorns. Add cold water and you get a kind of icy, spicy instant soup. Chow down with a handful of tsampa on the side.
Don’t say we didn’t tell you as we head into the holiday season, and let us know how you get on if situations come to pass!
This is our last week open before the Christmas break. We’re open all the usual hours, as follows:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3/ 5-9.30pm
Sunday: 12-3 / 5-9pm
This week’s menu is up now – check it. Come by for dine in, take away and a final raid on our our freezers before doors close on 2025. We have family-sized boxes of dal in there and plenty momos and other freezer meals to keep you going through the break. Chilli oil and hot mooli pickle are also on the shelves, and don’t forget to ask us to bag up some chocolate tsampa truffles for you as well. Finally, you can find signed copies of our cookbook in store and online. Happy Taste Tibet Christmas!
Thank you to everyone for your support this year. We wish you a very happy break.
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Saturday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
Sunday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9pm
☏ 01865 499318
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