The Khukuri, Edinburgh

Nepal. It's different. Not just for the litter encrusted monster mountains and the truly heroic Sherpas. Gurkhas too. For anyone who doesn't know, the khukri (otherwise spelled kukri or, today's variation, khukuri) is a traditional Gurkha knife, a truly terrifying thing with a heavy blade about 30cm long, razor sharp of course. It's a tool as well as a weapon. Stored in the scabbard you will usually also find a karda which is a small multi purpose knife, and a chakmak which, I am told, can be used for sharpening and for making sparks, presumably to create fire. I used to own one, minus karda and chakmak. No idea what became of it. But no, it doesn't have to draw blood before being resheathed. An urban/Himalayan myth.

And what else is different? As this is a food column, no prizes for guessing. I was here years ago and remember it as being pretty good. The place has been in existence since 19997, but changed hands in 2018. The current owner is (Indian) Mukesh Sharma. I learn that he is also the owner of the fairly new Durbar Indian Kitchen, just along the road in Shandwick Place. On the evidence of today's meal, I'll be visiting soon.

This time I had the pleasure of the company of Scotland's Finest Former Journalist. Following the demise of Hamish Coghill, holder of that title in the east, David no longer has to add the suffix (W) to his official honour, SFFJ.

I've banged on ad nauseam about unwanted information from waiting staff. Ironically, the places where one could really do with it are (here I use the adjective to cover the whole sub-continent) Indian ones. Having spent a couple of months in India I knew what I was eating only about half the time. This problem, if problem it be, is greater here. As we said at the outset, Nepal is different.

The food of Nepal tends to be lighter than that of its southern neighbour. (Yes, I know that there are umpteen regional variations in India itself. Don't write in,) For example they don't use ghee. In fact despite the yak jokes, there is very little dairy involved. Spicing is a little more delicate and, to confuse the reviewer, there are a few flavours which are unique to the country. Some so called Nepalese restaurants are simply Indian with a few token dishes thrown in. Not here.

Our meal was so good that afterwards I rushed to tell @veggieburgh that she should go, Have you heard of momos? I asked, breathlessly? Yes, she replied patiently, tactfully ignoring the fact that I had shouted about my discovery in her company some months earlier. For those who don't know, they are stuffed dumplings which travelled from Tibet via Nepal. Here you can choose from five varieties. We tried the steamed then fried version. Very fine, along with an unknown starter, Lamb Cholla. Tasty marinated lamb with crunchy beaten rice. Another first, though it had the texture of toasted flaked almonds. Nice, but it could have done with a sauce.

The descriptions of the section headed Nepalese Classics weren't particularly floating our boat, but the next section didn't descend into flock wallpaper staples. The SFFJ's beady eye spotted Chicken Namche. Without the menu description, in a blind tasting how many of you foodies would have identified ajwain and jimbu? I think I've had the latter before. Very distinctive, but it was the tiny slivers of raw ginger which provided the extra oomph. Any time I take a punt on a lamb dish these days, I'm usually well rewarded. Mind you, when you read that the Lamb Hiriyali includes a combo of mint, spinach, coriander and green chilli, it's hard to see how it could go wrong. You don't forget dishes that make you go wow!

From the poppadoms at the beginning with the way above average chutneys, through some of the best naan ever to the very end, this night out was rather special. I'm told it's still family run. I have no idea whether the lovely ladies who served us were family, but they made us feel part of theirs, particularly Jenisha. I really, really will be back.

Oh, and by the end of the night Scotland had qualified for the World Cup, Have you heard?