Himalyan CharGrill- Nepalese Cuisine@ Crows Nest Sydney

Awrite, another post, perhaps after a long time. And hopefully, not the first in a long future to come. Having stayed at Sydney, for the last 4 months, I have been trying out various eat outs ranging across varying cuisines.

While it is common to find cuisines such as Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Lebanese, Italian and Indian, the concept of Nepalese cuisine was quite interesting. Interesting because it is rare to find Nepalse cuisine and further, having stayed in India all my life, I really was unaware of the existence of Nepalese cuisine as such.

Sunday evening, lazy to not cook, I decided to try out the Himalyan Chargrill at Crows Nest, Sydney. Having heard many reviews and recommendations, I reckoned that perhaps it is time to evaluate if this eat out is actually of substance or just an inflated misguided promotion.

A small restaurant, nestled in the Crows Nest Plaza, it resembles more of a small eat out in your neighbourhood market. A small shop with 4 tables inside, and a couple of tables outside. The decor is very simplistic, minimal in nature, which some how has a soothing appeal. No excessive fanfare and gaudy decor to make it clichéd stereo typed restaurant. Just good food and strictly business.

Dishes ordered:

Poppadums

Chicken Momo's

Goat Curry

Aloo Mushroon

The momo's were pretty average. While I have been craving for having momo's and it was actually a treasure to find momo's in Sydney, I guess I was more excited about having the momo's. The momo's cost about $10 and had six pieces, served with a tomato sauce. The momo's were quite succulent and well filled with chicken, onion, garlic, I'd say they were pretty descent. Perhaps the reason why I would restrain myself from giving it a full humbs up is because, I think it could have been more juicy and a bit more spicier in the filling inside the momo. I guess, the dish catered more to aussie taste, than the actual.

Moving on to the Goat curry, I must say this was really good stuff. Usually, with Indian cuisine being so common across Sydney, that more often than not, the dishes are just an abberation and abused. Particularly, I am normally apprehensive to have goat in Sydney, as it is firstly rare to find and secondly, in most places, the quality and texture of goat meat is quite debatable.

In this regards, I must admit that the Himalyan chargrill scores over most of the restaurant. The goat curry was quite sumptuous. The quality of meat as tender, soft and succulent. The gravy in itself was just perfect, thick and a bit spicy to my liking, but considering I ordered it to be spicy, I was quite satisfied. The curry was served with fragrant Basmati rice, which I must say is again just too good. I mean you get rice in every shop, but here, the rice was just perfectly done, long grained and fragrant, it just added to the perfect taste. The goat curry, rice and a dash of lemon was just as close to orgasmic satisfaction.

The aloo mushroom gravy was another interesting dish. Baby potatoes and fresh mushroom cooked in a light yellowish orange tomato gravy tempered with fenugreek leaves, not too spicy and yet had the delicate taste of cumin and coriander and the individual spices.

All in all to summarize, good place to eat out, not too expensive and not too busy. The staff is friendly, from Kathmandu. A meal for two should not exceed $40-$50. I'd say I'd love to go back for the goat and a quite little evening dinner with friend and just relax.

Quick Info

http://www.himalayanchargrill.com.au/

Himalayan Char- grill
Shop 18/ 103-111 Willoughby Rd,
Crows Nest Plaza,
Crows Nest, NSW 2065
Phone and fax 02-99665540
Email: himalayangrill@optusnet.com.au

Opening hours
Lunch : Monday to Saturday
Dinner: 7 nights 5.30 onward