Himalayan Bistro
A few Fridays ago, I had a cold and PK was just starting to get sick. Since my last few meals consisted of soup, I was craving something that was both spicy and close to home. We decided to check out the Himalayan Bistro in West Roxbury.
The majority of the menu is no different than most Indian restaurants, but they do have a handful of Himalayan/Nepalese dishes. The meal started off on the right note when they brought us a few pieces of Papadam along with three chutneys and sauces. I usually find these bland at most restaurants, but they had a lot of flavor and a little bit of spice.
We decided to split an Aloo Chat Papri ($4.95). Unfortunately, this was more like a salad rather than a soup, and it was nowhere as good as Punjabi Dhaba’s version of this dish.
For our main course, we decided to try a few dishes from the Himalayan part of the menu. We were both disappointed that they were out of Momos (dumplings). We ended up ordering the Goat Curry ($12.95). The curry had a good spice and the goat fell right off the bone. We also got an Acahri Lamb ($13.95; pickled lamb chunks cooked in a special curry). While we both liked this dish, we found it to be a bit too salty for our tastes (since it was pickled, we should have expected that).
Verdict: This was my first experience at a Himalayan restaurant. We both really enjoyed the meal, but it did not stand out, and we wish their prices were a bit cheaper. I am curious to try their Indian dishes that I am familiar with so that I can compare their food with other restaurants. I won’t be rushing back to eat there, but I will eat there again soon.
p.s. Sorry for the crappy camera phone pictures.
A friend of mine spent time in Nepal and told me after she looked at this menu that there was very little that was Himalayan.
Rhea,
I also spent a lot of time in Nepal and in fact married a Nepali woman. Your friend would not have been looking at any menu in Nepal. It is kind of funny to say what a himalayan menu looks like. I do not think there is.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Nepal and I can confirm what Dow Tatch says.
There are few if any menus in Nepal, unless you count the tourist restaurants in Thamel Tole, Kathmandu. Most of that isn’t Nepali food either, but their attempt at western and Chinese food for tourists and trekkers and foreigners.
You can look at Himalayan Bistro’s menu and see plenty of Nepali style foods.