Certainly one of Madison's finest cultural assets is its variety of ethnic restaurants. Name a continent or country having a distinct culture all over the world, regardless of how obscure or taken care of, and there is apt to be one otherwise two restaurants focusing on its cuisine.
Couple of may well be more taken care of than Himal Chuli, literally summit from the Himalayas. If you are using the Nepali root word chulo rather, the name becomes kitchen from the Himalayas.
The small 24-seat Condition Street storefront restaurant certainly looks the part. Hung with Nepali tapestries and prints and bathed in Indian and Nepali music, the sporadic and rough-hewn Himal Chuli could not look some exotic and, the world thinks, authentic whether it was on the slopes of K2. One almost expects to determine Sherpa guides, stomping the snow business cowhide boots, come with the door.
Himal Chuli's momochas, steamed vegetable dumplings flavored with peanut sauce and offered inside a tomato-coriander sauce, was named among the nation's 75 best food buys within the March issue of Food Wine. The reference to this excellent culinary asset set us on the dining course for Condition Street.
We selected a table through the counter within the rear within smiling portrait from the Dalai Lama. Service was prompt and respectful and, despite lunch plans on the contrary, we finished up getting a Nepali feast.
Recption menus is straightforward, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian posts. The lunch specials trade heavily on types of dal, an assorted bean soup that's a standard feature of the location.
The dal that included our meal would be a viscous blend which was pea-soup eco-friendly and laced with beans and onions. The spice add the broth gave it significant character and strength.
We certainly required to try the momochas ($6.50), but understood individuals would not be enough to carry us. We set a training course that soon had us eating our in place a mountain of food.
We began with mango lassis ($2.75), billed like a refreshing yogurt drink around the menu. It had been just like consuming an infinitely more liquefied yogurt, outfitted with sufficient mango allow it an exotic freshness. Thinner than the usual malt and thicker than dairy, the lassis were enjoyable although not outstanding diversions.
We purchased a side of whole-wheat roti ($1.25), partly leavened bread also created using yogurt. The only, saucer-sized slice split into four wedges showed up hot and apparently fresh in the oven. It were built with a wonderful flavor, presumably in the yogurt within the mix, so we found ourselves eating way too much from it.
The momochas did end up being excellent. Four showed up within the aforementioned sauce, an easy, almost watery compote laced with coriander. The dumplings themselves were full of ground vegetables and chickpeas and enough cilantro to supply a spark of flavor.
For that primary course we purchased the daily tarkara ($7.50), a stew of vegetables cooked in turmeric, coriander, cumin, fresh garlic clove and ginger root. The tarkara of the day was Cauli, a mix of cauliflower, carrots, eco-friendly beans, taters and onions. The vegetable chunks were large and also the mixture of spices created a curry which was flavorful and fascinating. The dish also included grain (white-colored or brown) and roti (white-colored or wheat grains.)
Our other option was hyala ($8.95), slices of organic bison meat combined with ginger root, cumin and turmeric. Regrettably, the bison was sold-out. Rather we purchased Beef Buff ($10.95), lean beef sautéerectile dysfunction with eco-friendly peppers, mushrooms, onions and sliced cherry tomato plants.
The beef, thinly sliced, was lean and satisfying, however the dish was less distinctive than we'd have wished. The next time we'll double-order the momochas.