Lah Bros

119 Chapel St
Windsor, VIC 3181
https://www.lahbros.com.au/

There’s a good number of Nepalese restaurants around town, but Lah Bros is one of a kind. Instead of serving up the usual basics of momo, curries, and meats, they deal in traditional flavours reinvented with a modern, Melbourne-tinged flare, all without losing the heart of the cuisine. And speaking of heart, the service is run by people who appear to take genuine pride in what they do – yet another thing that sets Lah Bros apart. For something a bit different, yet reassuringly homely, this is a fantastic choice.

Rating: 14/20 – nothing else like it.

Off to a strong start with the Pork Momos ($15, 5pcs), with translucent skin wrapped around a dense, meaty centre. Already bolder and fattier than your average dumpling, this flies into the heart of flavour country with the addition of punchy achaar, a tangy spiced tomato sauce smoothed out with a dash of sesame paste. Yes it is comfort food, but it’s of the same fiery ilk as mapo tofu and laksa.

The Black Lentil Pancakes ($16, 2pcs) were also lovely, the traditional staple dish Melbourne-fied with a gooey 63-degree egg, the unctuous yolk making a notable contrast with the crispy pancake. A drizzle of fermented spinach sauce adds an unexpected but welcome earthy complexity. Honestly, add a couple of garnishes, and this would make an excellent brunch dish.

The Duck Chhoila Roti Tacos ($22) sound a bit gimmicky, but the fluffy roti wrapped around the saucy grilled duck was a satisfying (if a little messy) way to chow down. I was especially fond of the tart duo of hemp seed chutney and rhubarb relish, which served well to cut through the richness.

The Pork Belly Curry ($33) is great if you want to have your cake and to eat it too. Not only do you get the rich, peppery gravy (which is smoother than Indian curry, and actually tastes like an amped up Japanese curry), you also get slabs of top-notch roast pork belly, complete with crisp, bubbling crackling.

We’ve all had roast potatoes, but these Triple Cooked Timur Potatoes ($14) take them to the next level with its spicy, numbing seasoning, and the addition of fatty chorizo. Highly recommend.

The only mediocre dish of the night was the side of Charred Asparagus ($15), which was nice but unremarkable, the additions of crispy shallots and chilli oil barely noticeable. The portion was also a little small, especially compared to the other dishes so far, which have been reasonably generous.