If you are strolling around Kathmandu, you will find no shortage of restaurants serving thakali khana, as well as Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and continental fare. If, however, you are in search of Italian or Mediterranean food, the options narrow considerably. One of the few places that fills this gap is Curilo, a restaurant in the heart of the capital that serves what it describes as authentic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The menu ranges from Tuscan chicken soup to protein bowls, harissa-marinated chicken burgers, Bianca pizza, and lamb ravioli, among other dishes.
Founded in 2013, Curilo is the product of a collaboration between Rizu Tuladhar, Sunit Kanskar, Prajwal Kansakar, and Rubi Shrestha. The first three musicians who once performed together in the band Robin N Looza had long experience playing in restaurants across Kathmandu. Shrestha, by contrast, is a professional chef, now based in Australia. The four are longtime friends.
Having spent years performing in dining rooms, the musicians began to imagine a place of their own, one that would offer not only good food but also a proper space to gather. They turned to Shrestha, whose expertise lies in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, and together decided to open a restaurant focused primarily on those traditions.
Curilo now has a staff of 14, seven of whom work in the kitchen, led by the head chef, Manoj Tamang, and the sous-chef, Bikash Tamang. Manoj has five years of experience as a chef; Bikash, four. Both began their careers as dishwashers, gradually developed an interest in cooking, and eventually made their way into the kitchen. They are, in that sense, self-taught.
For Manoj, food is not merely something to eat. “It is also a medium of expression,” he says.
According to him, Curilo offers more than thirty dishes. Asked about the restaurant’s signature, both chefs point to its pastas and pizzas. Of the latter, they single out the La-Curilo Pizza, which receives particular attention in the kitchen.
“Meat-based pizzas are common across the city, but La-Curilo distinguishes itself both technically and creatively, something you are unlikely to find anywhere else,” says Bikash.
Like music, movies, and fashion, food is subject to trends, and the team at Curilo tries to keep pace. They research and experiment regularly, without straying from their central aim: to serve food that is both high in quality and true to its origins.
“No matter what the trend may be, we are committed to providing quality, authentic food, and to maintaining consistency of taste,” Manoj told Onlinekhabar.
In Nepal, one of the persistent complaints about restaurants is inconsistency: a dish that tastes excellent one day can disappoint the next. The chefs at Curilo are keenly aware of this problem. To guard against it, the kitchen has developed a system of documented recipes, which the staff follow closely.
They also emphasise training from the outset. “From the first day, we provide proper training to the kitchen staff,” the chefs say. “That, too, has helped us maintain consistency in our dishes.”
Similarly, they also track the progress of all the kitchen staff.
When the chefs speak about consistency, they often recall moments of praise that have made them feel both proud and newly accountable—small encounters that reinforce their commitment to getting each dish right.
A few months ago, a French customer tried the pappardelle pasta. Afterwards, she sought out Manoj to offer her thanks. “The pasta was superb,” she told him. “It felt as if it had been cooked by my grandmother.”
Bikash remembers a similar exchange. An Indian diner, having ordered the pumpkin soup, told him it was delicious and went so far as to ask for the recipe.
For a restaurant born out of music and friendship, Curilo’s kitchen now seems to operate with a similar rhythm, measured, practised, and attentive to detail. Trends may come and go, but the work here remains deliberate: recipes refined, techniques repeated, and expectations quietly raised with each plate that leaves the pass. In a city where variety is abundant but consistency can be elusive, Curilo’s ambition is modest and exacting at once, to make food that tastes the same today as it will tomorrow, and to make it well enough that people remember.
