Trisha P.
Yelp
I just went on a flavor adventure and I don't think I can look at life the same way anymore. Buckle up because this is gonna be a long review:
Every dish we ordered was divine yet so different in flavor. I started with the Goat Bhutan:
- the menu says fried crispy, which can be confusing to the American brain when you see it. Don't think breaded and fried with dry spices, think more stir-fry for the cooking style reference point. It consists of the majority of goat internal organs (intestines, liver, lungs, stomach, and I think heart) and is sautéed in Nepalis wet seasonings. It's gamey, but not as gamey as deer. I'd say it's somewhere between deer and rabbit. They do a phenomenal job at not overcooking the intestines to the point it's rubbery, and the flavor of those balances out the iron/gamey-ness of the liver. Amazing dish overall!
Next up is the buffalo momo, jhol styled:
- super tender meat and again cooked to a perfect texture. The wrapper was thick enough to withstand the sauce and never got soggy (I tend to eat slow so this matters to me), and the sauce tasted like there was tomato, lemon, cumin, and turmeric, as well as some other spices. The combination of tomato and lemon was really interesting, it was like a sour taste but leaned more towards acidic and worked really well with the buffalo momo.
Then came the chicken momo, chili styled:
- the closest thing I can compare this to is sweet and sour sauce but nowhere near as thick or sweet. Again I've never had Nepali food and am just mind blown at the flavors. If you're not as adventurous I would highly recommend starting with this dish, it's a gentle introduction to the cuisine and will not fail you.
And for dessert, we had malpuwa:
- the best way to describe this to someone with an American pallet is a funnel cake that's not too sweet (in fact it's barely sweet, which I think is perfect). The cardamom is a nice touch, and the flavors seep out as you let it cool but don't let it cool too much! You probably won't have that issue though, despite being stuffed we still finished all 4.
The ambiance is beautiful and feels deeply steeped in Nepalese culture, the service is amazing and the staff was kind and answered every question we had, as well as giving us a heads up on certain flavor profiles since we were new to the cuisine.
Definitely will be back, such amazing food and overall amazing experience!