Check the link for the comments of always right "customers" of a "fusion" restaurant:

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=36026952&postID=116084707371341129



OM at Harvard Square

OM Restaurant, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.


The word OM (AUM) signifies the sound that created universe. It is the symbol of Brahma the creator of the universe. A very religious significant word for the Hindu and the Buddhist - OM… Every mantra starts with OM. It represents primordial vibration from which everything begins…

And so OM at Harvard Square begins the disappointment as you enter through the
Nepali carved door that leads inside to the lounge suggest nothing has been created at Harvard Square, but a mediocre translation of OM - Culturally along with the Culinary…

Food preparation has all the pomp and ceremony but no AAH to the palate. The chef’s compliment – is a total waste and a poor start to the fanfare that it so pretentiously glorifies. The starter popcorn with the cheese sprinkled on it tastes dull. There is nothing modern to American food as you dig into the Lamb Shank.

What is more sad and petrifying is the Buddha looking at your food and the drink. Buddha that symbolizes peace, non – violence, is put on the holes in the wall and embedded… overlook the tables… while people sink their knives into the pork bellies and the shank. There is no Nirvana but only the noises and the horrifying deconstruction of an old tradition, culture and the art, of the people, the place, and the artist – be it the owners father. Buddha must be crying somewhere…

The only piece of art that personifies the place is Kal Bhairav – the Lord Shiva himself – the destructor or the destroyer… OM restaurant – where you could have seen the beginning of all things that could be calm, serine, and wholesome is really a place that emphasizes the modern world where there is nothing but destruction. And, so Kal Bhairav symbolizes the destruction of all that could have been good… if the creator of the place had really thought correctly the usage of such a powerful symbol OM – as you even utter the word OM you can feel the peace within yourself.

As I looked at the Kal Bhairav – the so powerful presence… I must give thanks to the artist that created it. Looking at it you can feel the power and you can almost see yourself transferred to Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu Nepal where the 10 foot tall stone statue of the same sits… My heart wants to take the artist creation not only of the Kal Bhairav, but every Buddha statue the every art and rescue it from the rude owner and take it away from the “bhati” or bar and put it in a place that it would truly belong – such as a museum of traditional art… where people would appreciate the artist and the creator and know where it comes from.

The fusion of the east and west leaves a bad taste in the mouth – a bad taste in the intellect and a misplaced restaurant at Harvard Square. It tries to belong and cater to the intellectual capital of the world – only to insult it.

Dimplw wrote:

"Probably ashuji's palate is used to French food but the smelly goat cheese for appitizer and sweet duck and tasteless lamb shank scattered with potato bits for dinner."


No.

I like food all right and like to sample all sorts of cuisines, but I am NOT one of those who takes pride in eating food he cannot pronounce the names of!!

So,

Give me

daal,
bhat,
aalu-tama,
gundruk ko jhol,
kukhura ko masu ko, and
kakro ko achar for dinner anyday,

and I could die and go to heaven as a gastronomically sated man :-)

oohi
ashu

ashu dai,
next time when you are in new england.
auru kehi nabhaye ni
daal, bhat, gundruk ko jhol chhai on me hunchha (O:

Sure, Thapap

I accept your invitation.
Thank you.

oohi
ashu

Ashuji my hats off to your promptness and believe me I have no hard feelings against that owner but being insulted by him was undigestable just as his food was, being rude and not acknowledging his roots was his shortcomings but yelling from the top floor to throw us out!! now how would you react to that?? That was so unethical from a restaurant owners point of veiw don't you think so??? But why are we emphasizing the untrue fact about OM being a Nepalese restaurant when it is not!! There is also another owner of that place Mr. Solmon Chowdhury who seems to be in the dark. Sorry about my misconception about the display of art and display of mannerism being connected I agree with you a hundred percent coming to think of it. Believe me and take my word for it OM will not attract patrons, it will probably have a lot of one time customers like us.

Hey guys,
I will be in Wakefield,MA, about 10 miles from Harvard for a couple of days. Are there any nepali or indian restaurants nearby?

Any help will be appreciated....

If you are looking for a Nepalese reataurant there is one in Arlington called kathmandu spice and the food is pretty good you will not be disappointed and the owners seem very nice too. they are making every effort to give you the best meal so I would reccomend this place. Don't go to places which might sound familiar but when you glance at the menu you don't know what is what. Its right on Mass Ave. and very close to Harvard too.

Dimple-ji,

I have never run a restaurant, but some of my friends are in the restaurant business
in Nepal.

And having watched them, I can tell you that running a restaurant is an extremely stressful activity. It's not for the faint-hearted.

Given that, maybe the guy at OM was just having a bad day that day . . . and
took it out on you -- the paying customers WITHOUT realizing the extent of PR
damage he brought upon himself.

Happens.
You know.

Sure, he should not have done that, but then we Nepalis are not exactly world
famous for self-control, are we?

So, even after hearing your experience, I, from afar, would still NOT judge Om
Restaurant negatively at this point.

My attitude is: Let the restaurant take some to evolve (in terms of everything). In coming weeks and months, if it serves the market well, it'll survive these initial hiccups. If it doesn't, well, it'll be history -- and that will be that.

That said, I would NOT worry too much about the owner's' adherence to his roots and all that.

Some of us are flamingly Nepali wherever we go around the world; some of us pretend to be non-Nepalis. Most of us fall somewhere in between those extremes.

As that poem goes, "Santaan thari thari kaa . .. " let's just enjoy the diversity of approaches of being a Nepali in this globalized world!

oohi
ash

Oh Yeah That Kathmandu Spice is GOOOD and the prices are good too.
Whereas OM is TRYING to be in that Contempory category with an OVERPRICED MENU and a lotta GAS(yuh know all that EUROTRASH SH*T). Which will eventually wear off as it grows old.

Dimple-ji,

I just read your latest posting above where you -- having trashed OM Restaurant earlier -- posted a glowing ad for The Kathmandu Spice.

I find this very interesting in that I started my postings here today by sort of
trusting you.

Now, for some reason, my intuition tells me NOT to trust your judgement.
Don't ask me why.
Something's not right.

That said, I'd be happy to reserve my thoughts about OM until I as a customer
visit it someday.

oohi
ashu

Yeah,
If you wanna pay $12 for a coctail, $30-40 an entree' with a POMPUS attitute then goto OM. But if you wanna good meal for 10-15 then goto KTMSPICE. Oh yeah the warm atmosphere then goto KTM spice.

BathroomCoffee, oh ho kusto change in your dialect ni. Inspired with the coming of fall ho?

On a serious note, "Himalayan Fusion" in VA is not a bad choice at all.

Rest Later.

"yelling from the top floor to throw us out!!"

Dimple can you elaborate on that? Why would a restaurant owner want to throw the customer out?? Does not makes any sense.

Ashuji, now where is a genuine Nepali trying to support a Nepali and wishing them well gone? I can tell you that besides the long wait the food was authentically Nepalese and I want you to go and see it for yourself. I do not know any owners from both restaurants personally so my comments are non biased that is all I can say

Dimple don't forget to answer my question if I am worthy of your time.

dimple i think u are simply getting carried away just because the owner did not speak to you in nepalese and honestly, why should he, if he does not want to. and there is nothing wrong if OM is not a restaurant that serves our typical dal bhat gundruk and what not, not everyone loves it. just because u are from nepal does not mean u have to love those three, liking something else does not make u less patriotic. for the owner to yell from the roof top to throw you out, what did u do to provoke. no business owner would do that unless they felt humiliated. i wish OM all the best.

i do not know about other people but i go to restaurant owned/operated by Nepalese to actually talk to the owners or people working there. i would see some familiar face or someone to talk to in my mother tongue. not because of the food or anything special.

i am paying $$$ for dinner no matter where I go so why would i drive 70 miles if the owner is showing me an attitude.
i would rather spend that money where i am welcome. may it be indian, bengali or italian.

i do not know about OM but i think new generation nepalese working in places do not like to associate themselves with nepalese customers. (O:
au bon pain in harvard square is a prime example of this. tons of nepalese work there. 3 5-6 yrs ago ppl working there if they realized or know you were nepali they used to talk in nepali and were so nice.
but not any more.. they are nice but just like any people behind counter. they prefer not to speak in nepali. probably there are too many nepalese in boston area (O: or may be we are just too arrogant i guess (O:

Dimple-ji,

OK, when you say that -- "I do not know any owners from both restaurants personally so my comments are non biased that is all I can say" -- then, that's fine. I accept it.

That said, I wish the owners of Kathmandu Spice my best too.

oohi
ashu

After the owner vehemontly refused to talk in Nepali claiming his restaurant to be American the conversation ended as my friend did not want to exchange dialogues with a fellow Neaplese in any other language. We got ready to leave and changed our minds about the momos downstairs at the lounge and headed towards the exit. One of the waitresses came after us and asked why we were leaving, we just said we had had enough and Mr. Yonzon came after us and called out to the waitress saying "Let them go Let them go!!" Now was that necessary?? Was he trying to assert his authority over his staff?? or was he trying to say he was kicking us out??? we were kind of embarrassed and very insulted, and this should not happen to anyone anywhere. We were not trying to make trouble there infact my friend chose to go there because she heard that the restaurant was owned by a Nepali fellow and to be treated in that way how pathetic is that??

As I said before the person who wrote this is a bad example of Nepalese...specially those who can't stand the thot of other Nepalese doing well..

I go there like every other day and the environment and the drinks are awesome...

I'll List you guys what I like about the place:

1. It's a place where you can totally RELAX..the furniture is relaxing..the waterfall- wall awesome...

2. very very friendly staff..the hostess / bartenders are awesome..you can blabber as much as you like and they don't mind ....

3. Very good music

4. The Price is right..for a cocktail.. you pay abput $12.00 on avg ( $2 dollars extra than the dingy Charlie's kitchen..its worth it) and food/ dinner for 2 ppl is about $50.00. If you go to any dhotti restaurant..around here like the Kebab Factory..you end up paying.. more....plus..you have reasonale portions..( do not expect to be served DAL BHAT TARKARI nad the "nepali" quatnities)..

5. I love the ladies room...dazzling tiles..

6. Best thing is that a couple of Nepalese Entreprenuers buitl the place leading the way to other entreprenuers..

7. Of course there are nepalese people working there..so provides an employement opportunity for Nepalese.. i'm very proud of that..

8. very sophiscated envrionment ...you can have business meeting..and parties without a hitch..

9. Beatuficul handicrafts...the Bhairabh painting unique...

10. BEST PLACE IN HARVARD SQUARE to be seen in and ENJOY!!!

Mr. Yonjonis the friendliest guy i met ..Dimple..you probably were too drunk..to say do allthat crapppp...Respect fellow Nepalese dear.