Doors of Perception

Taipo and Behind the Door, 200 E Abram St, Unit 140, Arlington. 469-602-8318. 11am-midnight Sun-Wed, 11am-2am Thu-Sat

Although modern speakeasies are modeled after secret Prohibition-era bars where bootlegged booze was smuggled for thirsty patrons, their presence today is often mentioned in publications or posted on social media, offering faux-exclusivity. But most do not have 15-foot ornamental doors from Nepal not-so-subtly proclaiming their existence. Welcome to Taipo and Behind the Door, a Nepalese restaurant with a kind-of-hidden cocktail lounge in Arlington.

The main dining room is awash in bright light with one dominant color standing out: turquoise. The menu is displayed head-on as you enter through the plainspoken main entrance with the ordering window to your right, opposite a handful of two-top tables and a wall-length booth, all decked in the same color. Built as a fast-casual spot, this hardly compares to what awaits on the other side of the Torana doors.

One of them was propped open on my visit, and after crossing the threshold, my guest and I were greeted by dark walls with crystal and gold light fixtures completely changing the mood. Every bit of the décor was handcrafted by artisans in Nepal, including the multitude of hand-carved prayer wheels lining one wall leading to the bar. The process took over a year, said first-generation Nepalese immigrant co-owner Rachel Puri Zimba. The approximately 1.2 tons of Nepalese craftsmanship that Puri’s father had shipped is astounding, considering what is around the corner.

An 11-foot gold sculpture of Avalokiteshvara, a Buddhist deity embodying compassion, is surrounded by 40 cubbyholes, or prabhamandal halos, holding $900 bottles of Ace of Spades, creating a wow factor that continually awes. The ceiling consists of panels pieced together to form a symmetrical gold-painted mandala (representing the universe’s wholeness and harmony).

The culinary brainchild of co-owner Riza Rawal, Taipo’s fare is not meant to be traditionally Nepalese but a union of several family recipes with a Western flair. The word “taipo” itself is a Tibetan dish that is a much larger fried dumpling than the soft, steamed ones here. Keeping with the fast-casual menu of small shareable plates with a few entrees works perfectly in this setting, ideal for conversation early and an energetic vibrance later.

Dumpling fillings consist of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetarian and vegan options. Of the momo dumplings, pan-seared Sichuan chicken stood out. Producing dulled spices rather than abhorrent heat, it still allowed for bold and complex chile flavors.

The billowing namesake fried dumplings with chicken served atop spicy mayo were crunchy with warm seasoned meat on the interior that only needed a dash of the condiment for taste variation.

Potato, sausage, tofu, or mushroom come splayed and speared from the Stick Food portion of the menu. The sausage was a marinated and griddled hot dog, but it was surprisingly tasty and exposed a playful side.

Stir-fry dishes with their own personal nuances have a home here. In the Nepali-style stir-fry chili, served with fried or steamed rice, the protein arrives lightly doused in a savory sauce and delicately fried. It’s all closely related to Americanized Chinese.

Another option that is Indian in origin is the keema noodles. Covered in seasoning, they’re joined by minced meat blended in thick egg-based udon noodles. Keeping it simple, the chicken chow mein arrived in a paper bowl and took off with amplified freshness, separating Taipo from your average neighborhood express takeout.

What good is dining in a dazzling cocktail lounge if sophisticated drinks were not a proper intro into such an atmosphere?

With the $900 bottles of Ace of Spades out of reach both figuratively and literally, the cocktail list is still impressive in description and length.

Up first was the Lucky Charm, a sweet concoction that could have passed as liquid gummy worms, while the Darjeeling Chai approached a white Russian but backed off with the addition of tea.

The Pink Tuxedo and the Genghis were just as tasty. Egg white provided a frothy layer over the Genghis’ Suntory Japanese whiskey and squeeze of lemon, making it essentially a whiskey sour, while the pink drink was a fresh frolic of gin, strawberry, and lemon. Other cocktails were mostly familiar except with different names like the After Hours (an espresso martini) and the Mustang Mule (a Moscow Mule plus peach). Taipo’s cocktails may be adventurous, but the real adventure starts behind the gold-and-black doors.

Taipo and Behind the Door
Chicken momo $10.99
Chicken Taipo $5.99
Stick sausage $4.99
Chicken chow mein $12.99
Nepali chicken stir fry $9.99
The Genghis $15
Darjeeling Chai $16
Lucky Charm $15
Pink Tuxedo $14