A restaurant’s decor often reflects its menu. This is true at downtown restaurant The Globe — where Suzy Karki and Ashim Malla serve dishes inspired by 18 different countries — but not in the way you might think. With that kind of cultural and culinary variety, it would have been easy for Karki and Malla to design a dining room with too many themes. But instead of being filled with trinkets and travel mementos, the restaurant’s 24-seat dining space features stark blue walls and minimalist decor that allows the menu’s bold flavors to shine.
Against this blank canvas, the restaurant buzzes with the frenetic energy of a space that is popular for both dine-in and takeout options. Join the queue of hungry diners and decide where to be transported on any given day, whether it’s Korea for grilled barbecue or India for tomato-based curry. Global comfort food in the form of rice and noodle dishes dominates the menu and is accompanied by a smaller selection of soups, tacos and small plates, including samosas and Tibetan dumplings from Karki’s native Nepal. As a former international student, Karki wanted to create a place where people from all over the world could feel at home.
The Globe, which opened in October 2018, occupies a small brick building that was home to an eatery called Red and White Burgers for 59 years. It’s across North Henry Street from Karki and Malla’s Triangle Market. (The couple also opened Ashirwad, an Indian-focused restaurant on nearby State Street, earlier this summer.) Many of the vegetables used in The Globe’s dishes come from the Dane County Farmers’ Market up the street, and all the sauces are made in-house by Malla and a crew of up to eight kitchen staff in the restaurant’s tiny kitchen.
Karki believes the spot has been lucky for the couple, who just renewed their lease for another five years. While luck might be a factor, The Globe’s longevity can also be attributed to wide appeal, loyal customers and a lot of hard work. “The food is made genuinely with love,” Karki says. “We put all of our effort and heart into preparing it.”
From 0-100
Kick it up a notch with customizable heat.
At The Globe, diners can modify the spice level of a dish. Typically, the heat range is between 0 (mild) and 5 (“Indian hot”) and is determined by the number of Thai chili pepper spoonfuls added. While it’s not unusual for regulars to push that number into the 10s or 20s, Karki says one group of cousins from Beaver Dam likes to go to extremes. “One guy tried a curry at 100 and he ate it without [taking] a sip of water. … Well, later, he did drink milk,” says Karki.
The Globe | 309 N. Henry St. | 608-640-4435…