3218 17th Avenue SW Calgary, AB
I'd heard good things about a Nepalese restaurant that'd been open since late 2011, and it'd been on the list of places I had to visit for some time, but hadn't had the opportunity until now. It's located in a very nondescript and small strip mall just up 17th Ave, and unassuming - until you step inside. Normally, in a small restaurant like this, there's not a whole lot of character, but surprisingly, it felt like you were transported into another world as you stepped through the doors of the restaurant. It was dark, but not so much so that you couldn't read your menu, and had a comfortable quality to the place.
My companion and I originally planned to head there after work, but to my surprise, the place was already jam packed at 5:30, with several tables reserved. Considering it was a weeknight, this definitely wasn't what I expected either. The wait staff were apologetic, but scheduled a table for us a couple hours later - as the smells wafting out of the kitchen were fantastic, we figured it'd be worth the wait, so we left to amuse ourselves during the wait.
We came back starving, and hoping for a great meal - and the Himalayan delivered. Nepalese cuisine from its appearances looked mostly of East Indian in nature, though with its own spices, and some influences from Chinese cuisine as well. There was a surprising amount of vegetarian selections, but true to my nature, I decided to go somewhat more meaty, and ordered the Himalayan Grill with Lamb (Green Peppers, onions and Tomatoes + Marinated in Nepali herbs and spices + Clay oven cooked + Served on sizzler accompanied with vegeterian side sauce), not to be confused with my friend`s Himalayan Lamb, in a creamy tomato, red wine and cashew nut sauce. We also ordered some pork momo, described as Nepali style dumplings, flour rapped, with minced pork, and a mixture of herbs and spices.
We were presented first with a basket of what appeared to be papadum, though the waiter called it just 'flatbread', with two dipping sauces, one of a mango variety, the other appearing to be more like a creamy poppyseed. Tasty, but not sure the sauces really went with the flatbread.
Our dumplings arrived shortly after, this time with a tomato-based dipping sauce. These dumplings had a slight resemblance to chinese style dumplings, but the filling and the sauce definitely set them apart. They were however, very tasty, and disappeared quickly.
The main courses came, served with a basket of fresh naan, and I was surprised at the size of the portion for the Himalayan Grill. I received two plates, one a hot plate covered with lamb and vegetables, the other with a cup of rice, a side salad, and a bowl of vegetable 'sauce'. My friend's plate was just singular, but instead of the small bowl, she received a dish of what almost appeared to be butter chicken, but with lamb.
I have to say, this lamb was some of the most tender I've had, and the level of spice was perfect for my palate. I also tried my companion's dish, and it was also excellent - but the star of the night to me, was the naan. Unlike many places, this wasn't as charred, and it had a golden sheen to it, instead of the black marks. It was pillowy soft, tender, yet chewy, buttery, and made me think that I have to go back just for that.
I was also impressed with the service staff - my water was never unfilled, and while serving a full restaurant, always attentive, for the level of clientele there.
Taste: 9.0 - Good stuff! Definitely coming back for the lunch buffet and the other items on the dinner menu.
Presentation: 7.5 - they could use a bit of help on presentation
Ambiance: 7.5 - the location suffers from its lack of outside presence, but they make up for it inside.
Service: 8.5 - friendly and fast service
Prices: $15-20 per dish
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