Before Khotang, back when I was hanging out in Kathmandu during the break, some of the Fulbrighters and I got dressed up one evening and went out to Kentucky Fried Chicken.
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| Does your Pizza Hut have a doorman? |
KFC is on Durbar Marg, the prestigious main road right in front of the Narayanhiti Palace. It has been open for a few years, and we have heard stories about how when it first opened there would be lines around the block, people dressed up in their best for a uniquely new dining experience. The restaurant is such a hit that the street vendors who sell fried chicken from carts in the city will refer to their creations as 'KFC.'
The food is pretty much the same, although the sides you get for most combos are a bit different: there are no mashed potatoes or biscuits, but you can get rice or corn or another piece of fried chicken as a side. After eating a small meal, we stepped right next door to Pizza Hut and ate another one. They serve beer and wine and cocktails, but other than that it is pretty much the same. A bit more of a pizzeria feel than a fast food joint, no buffet.
The inroads that the giant American food brands have made into Kathmandu are haphazard. Even in the most remote mountain villages you can find corner shops that sell Coke, Sprite, and Pepsi. In Kathmandu many of the storefront signs are blue and have the Pepsi logo on them. Pepsi must have a deal where they provide the signs for store owners.
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| That guy drinking a Pepsi has to be one of the most famous people in Nepal. |
Baskin-Robbins has a shop on Uttar Dhoka that seems to cater mainly to tourists. McDonald's came to Kathmandu came to Kathmandu at the turn of the millenium and closed shop after about a year or so. I'm happy to see that at least.