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Statesman critic Matthew Odam reviewed Nepalese-Indian restaurant Himalaya Kosheli, and found flavorful dishes in the minimalist restaurant. Though the 8650 Spicewood Springs Road restaurant in Barrington Oaks was surprisingly empty at lunch, but called the buffet a “revelatory discovery.”
Odam was pleased by the buffet offerings, which included burnt orange tandoori chicken “supple, juicy, and glowing from the clay oven,” saag paneer, and dal makhani. At dinner, he enjoyed the made-to-order momos (Nepalese dumplings) and the chow mein with “oil-slicked springy egg noodles.”
Odam’s favorite dishes were the curries:
Bay leaf and clove melded in a luxuriant goat vindaloo ($13.99) ratcheted up with peppers and a touch of vinegar that led to excessive forehead dabbing from my friend, a New Delhi native. And the aromatics of clove and cardamom completely penetrated supple lamb in a dish of rogan josh ($13.99) of such quality that my same spritzing friend declared it the best he had encountered stateside or abroad.
He also enjoyed the “milky sweetness” of kheer, a rice pudding, for dessert. The restaurant earned an overall 8 out of 10 from Odam.
Chronicle critic Jessi Cape also reviewed Himayala Kosheli, combining it with notes from nearby Chinese restaurant Fat Dragon. She also enjoyed her visits, though she highlighted different dishes.
At Kosheli, Cape praised the garlic naan, samosas (“fresh and wonderful, though fairly standard issue”), and biryani. She also appreciated her vindaloo, though medium spice proved too ambitious for Cape. Then there were the momos:
The superstar was the momo, a stuffed dumpling (theirs resembles a potsticker). Our server suggested we order the chili chicken version, served pan-fried and surrounded by an array of bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions, with the whole medley tossed in a spicy tomato sauce. It was love at first bite.
As for Fat Dragon, Cape found “glaring logistical issues” when it was busy. She noted that she lost her table because she had to order at a separate part of the restaurant, and receiving an to-go order 40 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time.
The said, Cape did say the food was worth returning for:
We opted for their popular pork and chive pan-fried dumplings (an order is 10) and were absolutely thrilled, though the tableside vinegar might not be everyone’s dipping choice. The beef and broccoli was another lovely surprise, with bright green steamed trees and tender strips of meat cut the right size, all smothered in a well-balanced, vibrant brown sauce.
Cape also recognized the lemongrass chicken soup dumplings (“both texture and flavor were on point”), the hot and sour soup, and the dry sautéed green beans (“addicting”). She had minor complaints with the Thai-style udon (“would’ve been near perfect had the vegetables been more al dente for varied texture”) and the orange chicken “sauce was a tinge too sweet, the red peppers not quite cutting through, but it was the kiddo’s favorite.”)
ON THE BLOGS: Sushi in the ATX liked the lambrusco and “brightly flavored” kale salad at Uncle Nicky’s. South Austin Foodie was pleasantly surprised by Joann’s Fine Foods, and called the hash brown nachos “a revelation.”
