100 Very Best Restaurants: #98 – Royal Nepal

Cost:

About Royal Nepal

Cost:

cuisines
Nepali
Location(s)
3807 Mt Vernon Ave
Alexandria, VA 22305

The best introduction to this Nepalese restaurant is through its momos. The dump-lings come with a choice of fillings, including buffalo and goat, but our repeat order is yak. From a farm in Pennsylvania (who knew?), the super-lean meat is ground and spiced, and the bundles are paired with cilantro-mint, spiced-tomato, and roasted-tomato sauces. Other standouts, such as lamb curry or wild-boar saag, are a reminder that Nepal borders India. A bonus: excellent cocktails, complete with spherical ice. Inexpensive.


Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.