Eleven years after his first D.C. restaurant closed its doors, Hemanta Shrestha is gearing up to open Third Eye in Dupont Circle (1723 Connecticut Ave. NW). The restaurant is slated to open in mid-March, with a grand opening set for March 24. It replaces Salty Dog Tavern, which Shrestha bought shortly before the bar closed.

Shrestha, who came to D.C. from Nepal in 1998 to pursue a career in the restaurant industry, first opened Mt. Everest in Adams Morgan. The Tibetan and Nepalese restaurant operated from 2000 to 2004. He plans to showcase these cuisines at his new restaurant, plus American food to add variety.

“The difference between us and other restaurants is the collaborating,” Shrestha says. He’s already hired Nepalese Chef Ganess Karki, and he plans to tap an American chef too.

While the menu is still being developed, Shrestha feels confident that momo—a chicken and vegetable dumpling—will be the restaurant’s signature dish. And he doesn’t expect prices to break the bank. “You will be able to leave with a bill that is $20 or less,” he says.

Third Eye will have two bars, one on the main level and one in the basement, where the restaurant plans to host musicians on weekends. “There will be light Nepalese music as well as jazz and other American genres,” he says.