Thali, a set meal on one plate that contains a variety of dishes, such as lentil soup, flatbread and curried meat and vegetables. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The summer dining scene in Beijing is getting an exotic taste of Nepal, as the first Nepali Food Festival opened in the capital on Wednesday.

A wide variety of Nepali foods are ready to tempt Beijing foodies, ranging from dal (lentil soup), bhat (boiled rice) and tarkari (curried vegetables) to curried meat, momos (steamed or fried dumplings) and rotis (flat bread).

All signature Nepali delicacies are available at the 15-day festival running through Aug 15.

Nepali culinary culture incorporates savory curries and various spices, influenced by the flavors of neighboring areas including India and Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region.