Ritvik N.
Yelp
So, I came here with family. It was my parent's anniversary -- certainly a momentous occasion to celebrate. I had heard of the Yak restaurant, and seen it at many a passing glance. Decided to finally bite the bullet and try it out, and see if the hype was justified or not.
Location is prime -- Himalayan Yak is at the heart of the Brambleton Plaza. Lots of green grass, open space, and the nearby Brambleton Park within walking distance, is a solid place to go dog-walking or just admire the scenery at.
The Yak serves traditional Nepalese/Himalayan food.
Seated inside. The cocktails menu is attached. For drinks, I had the Smokey Old Fashioned, which was aged bourbon maple; we also had the Himalayan Mule, which is a bit on the sweeter side, and tastes like margarita.
My drink, the Ol' Smokey, came in a steamed decanter as pictured. It was a novel experience when lifting it, similar to unwrapping a gift. I enjoyed the taste, which was deep, rich, and aged. It was a sharp and distinguished taste. I would recommend sipping it alongside a dish, perhaps after spooning (and swallowing) a bite -- that way, it elevates the taste and leaves a rich, rather tantalizing buzz in your mouth, which heightens appreciation and if nothing else, makes things more interesting.
For entrees, our table had the Pork Belly, and the Yak Biriyana.
The donut-shaped bread arrived first, and was on the house. A complimentary appetizer -- similar to free bread at some sit-down American steakhouses, for comparison. It was pure bread though, slightly sweetened -- and came with a pickled, spicy sauce for dipping purposes. It tasted rather spot on, and was good for the price (nothing).
The Pork Belly arrived next, perfectly caramelized and slightly sweet-tasting. It came with some fatty meat on it, and I had to cut part of that (the pure fat) out, as I'm not a fan of packing on weight if it can be avoided. I still consumed too much fat by myself, though. I ultimately preferred the pork belly variant that most Korean BBQ spots have, though.
Lastly came the Yak Biriyani. Lot of meat, good solid protein. Consistently less fat than the Pork Belly, which is props to it. On the downside, there was not a whole lotta great taste going for it, and it rather tasted like goat to be perfectly honest. However, alongside the rice it was good, and was filling at the least. Still a solid hitter, but far from a home run.
On a closing note, be sure to check the portions on the dishes. An altogether common mistake is to order one dish for each person in the party. Instead, be sure to check with the serving person about how many each dish feeds, so that you have a good idea going into it.
All in all, decent food, and generous portions. I am rating up slightly due to the location, convenience, quality of service, and also the fact that it was a special occasion which was handled altogether well.
I recommend stopping by if you find yourself in Brambleton or the nearby area, and need some authentic (Nepalese and Yak) cuisine to whet your appetite.
