Jai Nepal

Nepal is famous for lots of things, but food isn't one of them. Not because it's unremarkable, it's just further down the list of amazing things about Nepal: dwarfed by momentous mountains and vaguely thought to be vegetarian thanks to Buddha being born there.

So what is it, exactly? It's characteristic of its geographical location between China and India, and could broadly be described as Chinese cuisine with a twist, or Indian with a twist, and at Jai Nepal, the chef adds classic European techniques to his native Nepalese cuisine. It's a double twist with a twist, and it's impressive.

Momo dumplings are xiao long bao-shaped, with a top-knot, and steamed. Here they're richly filled with chicken mince flecked with spring onion and cabbage, redolent with ginger, garlic and coriander leaves, and served with a tangy Sichuan-pepper-hot tomato and roasted sesame-seed dipping sauce. They're hand-made (dough and all), take 18 minutes to make and two minutes to make disappear.

The pile of dark-amber shapes on the pakoda plate are like a gutsy tempura: eggplant slices, onion rings and nubs of cauliflower in a crisp-fried coating of split-pea batter, with a lifting minty yoghurt dip.

The modern Western influences come in the main course and from just outside, where red-faced runners blur past the long windows on their way back to the gym nearby. Boomgate bells from Hampton train station next door chime in with the pan flute on the stereo.

Hampton street life is part of Jai Nepal's vibe - a long, narrow restaurant, with a long glass wall. Prayer-flag bunting and a Buddha-eye motif mix with industrial finishes and furnishings, such as a polished concrete floor and fishbowl light fittings. It's comfortably contemporary, enhanced by genuine Nepalese character. The same could be said of the mains.

Pickles and ferments are a natural part of Nepalese cuisine and add brightness to some dishes. The slight sourness of a pickled potato salsa of diced radish and cucumber makes a perfect match for non-Nepalese crisp-skinned barramundi fillets. They're topped with glossy red and green capsicum spears dressed with raw mustard oil that warms like vodka.

Fermented and dried mustard leaves, imported from Nepal, add pep to twice-cooked pork belly with crackling and slabs of polenta - the fine Nepalese variety. And, there are curries, which are rich and stew-like: small cubes of goat cooked tender in their spice-excited tomato and onion-based sauce.

Clever sweet-meets-spice flavours, such as handmade seven-spice chai-flavoured ice-cream, and vanilla-and-spice panna cotta on saffron sugar syrup ought to twist your arm to stay for dessert.

Do… Ring ahead if vegetarian - the chef will prepare more meat-free dishes
Don't… Skip dessert
Dish… Pan-fried barramundi with pickled potato salsa
Vibe… Primped Nepalese food in come-as-you-are surrounds

goodfoodunder30@theage.com.au