Himalayan Restaurant – Minneapolis, MN

2910 E Lake St

Visited July 25, 2009

Himalayan Restaurant offers Nepalese cuisine and having never had Nepalese food prior, what better way to get acquainted than through a buffet. Alas, the selection was severely limited for a buffet, no more than about a dozen offerings.

The first thing to note is that the food is not only similar in appearance but tastes similar to Indian food. If someone said the Nepalese food I was eating was Indian food, I would say OK. Someone growing up on this food would instantly know if the food is Nepalese or Indian but I was left pondering the distinction. Is there any instant giveaway or identification?

• Pyaazi – onion and jalapenos battered and deep fried. Not as spicy as I expected
• Basmati rice – nice and fluffy.
• Kwati – Eight bean soup. Excellent. Tied with the Choyala as my favorite.
• Chicken Choyala – cooked in a Tandoor with Kathmandu style herbs. It had a nice “grilled” taste with an equally nice spicy kick.
• Tofu Aaloo – with potatoes and spices. Bland
• Chicken Tikki Masala – classic Indian food? Creamy but bland.
• Mustard greens – no matter how you cook it, it still has that compelling bitter taste.
• Kheer – rice pudding that had just the right texture and sweetness.

After we would get the food, the attendant would put the covers back over the trays. While it may be with the intention of keeping the food warm, his action the message “Don’t eat all you eat.”

I like Himalayan Restaurants – the food, the layout, the way it’s run, the way they care to be a success. My taste buds say Himalayan does it better than the Indian restaurants we've tried to date in the TC.