Famous Begnas BBQ Fish
One culinary must-do whilst at Begnas Lake is eating a BBQ fish, even for cheapskates like us. Thus we did. You're looking at what has been (and likely will be) our most expensive meal in Nepal, which hit the wallet for an eye-watering 850rs, or around €6. The banana lassi was an additional €1, which gave us something to nurse while waiting an hour or so* for the fish.
Overall, it was quite tasty and super filling, although the slightly spicy marinade might have been more impressive than the fish itself. One nice surprise was finding it stuffed with marinated vegetables as well - including cauliflower, green beans and (probably too many) full cloves of garlic.
Of course, the silent star of the show is the jawdropping scenery - the lake with reflected hills and snowcapped Himalayas in the background. Pretty much the opposite of the sensory deprivation dinner in the dark concept.
Choosing the restaurant to try this famous fish at can be difficult, as according to Google Maps reviews almost every place around the lake is the originator of the BBQ method, whereby the fish is marinated, fried covered on a flat outdoor grill and then wrapped in foil and baked for a while. But we opted for what seems to have a legitimate OG claim: Sarita's Blue Heaven, which has a great terrace and is also conveniently within easy walking distance.
*Pro tip: Restaurants in Nepal do 'slow food' by default, so always make sure to find a place to eat before you actually get hungry, grab a good seat with a view you won't quickly tire of and bring plenty of patience to every meal....