Over his birthday meal, our son summed things up quite nicely: “It’s the end of the world, and all I can do is watch”.
Master Taste Tibet is known among wider family members as an old head on young shoulders. He likes to ponder profound problems, and is a committed peacemaker. He’s been absorbing life’s big questions over the dinner table from a young age.
Yeshi says he was like this too when he was little. By the time he was our son’s age he was working independently out on the wilds of the Tibetan Plateau, with some hundreds of animals on his watch. He was always striving to outdo himself, and to relieve his father and uncle of their most arduous tasks.
We don’t tend to think of ourselves as political people, but probably this is because when it comes to the challenges faced by our Tibetan family our hands are tightly tied (a newsletter always for another day). In public we are conscious of the need to keep a low profile, but behind closed doors political debate is in fact a way of life.
How could it not be? Me and Yeshi hail from opposite ends of the earth, so there’s plenty to discuss. Even now, living apparently the same life, we experience the day-to-day very differently. As a Jew, the Israel-Hamas war inevitably feels close to home, even though I have no connection to Israel. For Yeshi, the recent racially-aggravated attack outside Noor Halal, our neighbours on Magdalen Road, brings many issues into focus.
When life gives us lemons – and Noor Halal provides plenty – we make momos. We feel very fortunate to have created an existence for ourselves that provides solace and joy to others during hard times. Did you know that we opened our restaurant during the UK’s second Covid lockdown? We’ve been in the comfort food business a long time now.
This week’s photo is a still from a recent film about Taste Tibet made by local filmmaker Will Elsom. Will instinctively understood our passion for what we do, and why we do it: he has photographed Tibetans in the Himalayas over many years. Keep a lookout for his beautiful short film, landing on our website and social media soon.
We’re open all the usual hours this week, as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
This week’s menu is out now – check it! We also have good stocks of everything in our freezers, including momos, so come forage.
Looking forward to welcoming you in soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
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