A flavor-packed journey through Kathmandu Valley
This is Nepalese cooking at its most unapologetically bold—a cuisine shaped by centuries of trade between Northern India and China's western frontiers, yet still largely uncharted here in Shanghai.
The restaurant takes its name from the Newa people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, whose culinary traditions are as rich as their history.
The setting—dim lighting, discreet Himalayan motifs—is an elegant backdrop, but this isn't a place where the decor does the talking...
The Food
NEWA's menu thrills with spice, smoke, and slow-cooked depth, each dish a vibrant testament to Nepal's love affair with flavor.
Start with a spread of small plates—the menu's opening section mixes traditional Nepalese snacks with some creative fusion twists, perfect for sharing tapas-style. You'll want a few.
The golden Nepali Croquettes (RMB42) arrive crisp and delicate, giving way to a silky lightly spiced filling, sharp with cheddar cheese.
Chatamari (RMB58)—Newari pizza anyone?—is a standout: a thin rice-flour crepe with lacy edges, topped with minced meat, herbs, and rich egg yolk.
Light but loaded with flavor, each bite hits differently, and together set the tone for the meal: bold, layered, and meant to be passed around.
Mustang Fries (RMB48) arrive as crisp flavorful batons dusted with timur pepper's floral heat—each bite starts with crunch, builds to a tingle, then crescendos into full Himalayan spice glory
(You'll be reaching for another forkful even as your lips buzz with heat.)
From the tandoor comes Beef Choila (RMB72), an authentically spiced Newari dish traditionally made with buffalo meat, but here utilizing a more tender beef cut, deeply charred and singing with fenugreek, turmeric, and green onion.
It hits hard—smoky, bitter, bright—the kind of dish that insists on a cold beer and good company.
Marinated for 24 hours, Chicken Tikka (RMB68) comes off the flames almost confit-tender, its edges blackened and aromatic with cardamom and Himalayan kala namak, that funky, volcanic black salt that lingers like a memory.
The Sekuwa Mutton (RMB78) delivers a bold hit of flavor, with the sharp heat of mustard oil cutting through the meat's deep, gamey richness, balanced by a cooling, smoky yogurt dip that pulls everything into focus.
If there's a star, though, it has to be the Goat Curry (RMB126). Four hours of slow cooking transforms the meat into soft, sticky chunks that collapse on contact, steeped in a gravy thick with cumin, coriander, and dried red chilies.
The more familiar Chicken Curry (RMB80) wraps tender poultry in a golden-hued sauce that whispers rather than shouts—mild enough for spice-wary diners yet humming with layered notes of toasted cumin and coriander.
Naan Bread (RMB26) emerges from the tandoor blistered and fragrant, its pillowy interior and crisp, buttery edges providing the perfect vehicle for sopping up every last drop of that soulful curry gravy.
Beef Momo (RMB50)—delicate, pleated beef dumplings—are clearly cousins to Chinese baozi, but carry their own weight: juicy, delicately spiced, wrapped in skins thin enough to give but strong enough to hold.
Another standout, the Honey-Glazed Lamb Cutlets (RMB128) develop a sticky, sweet crust that contrasts beautifully with their peppery exterior.
Crisp, golden Fried Curry Softshell Crab (RMB128) sits atop vibrant bell pepper sauce, the pepper's sweetness cutting through the crustacean's oceanic richness.
The Drinks
Drinks at NEWA are no afterthought. Masala Sangria Wine (RMB52) threads red wine with cinnamon, clove, and black pepper—refreshing, exotic, seductive.
Even your humble G&T isn't safe from reinvention: the Signature 'Ice Spice' Gin Tonic (RMB52)—house-infused gin laced with cardamom and juniper—drinks like a memory of sunset in Patan.
On the non-alcoholic front, the Chai Tonic (RMB38) fuses Nepali spices and tonic water into something herbal and bracing.
The Vibe
NEWA is not a restaurant for the timid. This is food that grips you by the collar—dishes that smolder, sting and seduce in equal measure.
Yet, for all its fire, there's remarkable balance at play, a testament to the chef's deft hand with spice. This is a place where fusion doesn't mean compromise, and NEWA delivers authenticity with flair.
It is food that demands to be shared—with friends, with a carafe of that masala sangria, with an open mind and an empty stomach.
Go hungry, there's plenty here to enjoy.
Price: RMB100-300
Who's Going: Spice adventurers, the Himalayan cuisine curious, tandoor fanatics, those who live for shared plates and bold flavors that demand conversation
Good For: Fiery date nights, feasting with friends, post-work masala cocktails, those seeking a break from Shanghai's safer dining options
Reservations: 153 0071 1157
Daily, 11am-2.30pm, 5-10pm
NEWA M+, D-103, 850 Xikang Lu, by Yuyao Lu, Jing'an District 西康路850号D-103室, 近余姚路
[All images by That's]
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