The newest feather in Cary’s increasingly colorful cap of ethnic eateries may well be serving the most esoteric food the Triangle has yet seen. According to Amar Karki, a native of Nepal who opened the restaurant today with his wife, Sangita, the specialty at Himalayan Nepali Cuisine is the food of the highest mountainous region of Nepal, and has much in common with that of neighboring Tibet.
But you won’t find any yak butter tea on the menu, at least not yet. What you will find is a gastronomic adventurer’s mother lode of heretofore unexplored regional dishes such as momo (steamed dumplings stuffed with chicken or vegetables and exotic Himalayan seasonings), tarkiki (Nepalese-spiced fresh vegetables), and a noodle soup called chow chow thukpa, offered in six variations from egg to lamb.
Those seeking the comfort of more familiar fare will find it in the menu’s extensive selection of Indian dishes with names like tikka, tandoori and curry. For the undecided, a special lunch menu offers a taste of either the form of thali samplers (meat, vegetarian or Nepali).
Himalayan Nepali Cuisine (746-A E. Chatham St.; 919-466-0550; himalayannepalicuisine.com) is open for lunch and dinner daily. Joining an already diverse collection of ethnic shops and eateries near the intersection of Chatham St.- well over a dozen of them, from Peruvian rotisserie chicken to Indian sweet shop to Mexican carniceria to the recently opened Baghdad Bakery - it ought to fit right in.
Greg Cox, the longtime N&O restaurant critic, also reports restaurant news. Tune in at 11 a.m. Saturdays on WPTF to hear his radio show. Reach him at ggcox@bellsouth.net.
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