The Himalayan-Nepalese Cuisine

My dinner club choice for October was The Himalayan on 17th Ave. To be honest about this selection, I probably would have never found this hidden gem, although it did fit the exterior image of my mission to find a "divey" restaurant that serves great food. This tasty treat was recommended to me by several patients (while cleaning teeth) after I spoke of living in MardaLoop.

Although it fit the "divey" appearance from the outside, I did not find that was the case on the inside. First impression was the food must be good with the restaurant being nearly a full house on a Thursday evening with a couple reserved tables (including our own) and as expected it sold all of us!

The food is as it is described in the menu as "unique", being significantly influenced by Nepal's neighbouring countries Indian and China. The food at the Himalayan was absolutely something different and delicious! If you're looking for a restaurant that serves up a plate of flavour look no further! 

Our order:

Appetizer: Chicken Momo, Vegetable Chatamari

Entrees: Himalayan Grill (with chicken) and Chili Stir-Fry (with chicken)

As we do at most restaurants, we shared everything that was ordered. To begin this taste bud journey, a complimentary crispy pita/chip dish and dipping sauces was served which got my stomach talking and excited for the next dishes to come! All four of us loved the chicken momo's, aka dumplings, as well as the vegetable chatamari (the dipping sauces really made these dishes!). Although we did enjoy the himalayan grill, the chili stir-fry was definitely the dish leaving you wanting more. The spices in the entrees really got the taste buds going and the naan bread served along side is always a nice treat. And lastly, whatever dressing they served on the salad with the himalayan grill was to die for! 

On a final note, the service was very good at this restaurant. The server went above and beyond splitting up the salad and rice evenly amongst the four of us to share along with the entrees. Very friendly and always smiling :) We would love to come back and try some more delicious items on this menu!

-S

 overall ratings:

Food	8.25	Service	9
Presentation	7.75	Value	7.75
Ambiance	6.25	Will you go back?	Solid 4 Yeses!

final score - 7.8

One shot of crispy goodness please!

We decided to try Khao San Thai Kitchen when it caught our eye from across the street during margarita fishbowls on the Los Chilitos patio. Not right at that moment of course, otherwise I doubt we would have remembered much about the place other then they had food and we ate it. So a few days later we returned with relatively sound minds, excited to try the new addition to 17th Ave. With Thai dining in Calgary seeming to only exist in fast food form or as super pricey, we were eager to see if a nice middle ground had finally been established.

First to arrive, I was immediately struck by the friendliness of all the workers. After being seated I was greeted by a lovely man who I assumed to be the owner due to the sparkle of delight that appeared in his eye when I replied that the 'occasion' was our monthly dinner club. 

Looking around while sipping on my wine, the interior is basically the same as it was during the space's previous tenants, JAROblue, other than the new ornate Thai wall treatments. It makes for a fairly contemporary space, which I figured would also be reflected in their Thai cuisine.

our order: 

Chicken Satay

Spring Rolls

Poung Chom-Poo (Steamed Dumpling)

Pad Thai

Red Chicken Curry

Beef Sweet & Sour
Steamed Coconut Rice

When the dishes arrived there was definitely a contemporary spin on the presentation, steamed dumplings coloured pink and sculpted like roses and spring rolls served in shot glasses of chili sauce. But while the food was plated with a modern twist, the first few bites revealed tastes that were wonderfully authentic and traditional. As the plates arrived, we each delighted in every new flavour sensation. At many Thai restaurants there is barely enough of each dish to share between 2 people, but Khao San Thai's servings were large, leaving more than enough for everyone. 

For me the best entree we had was the Red Chicken Curry. For being so thin the sauce was extremely flavourful and with a bit of the coconut rice even the smallest bite made my taste buds zing. Seeing the  other curries listed on the menu, I can't wait to get back to try them! Even the Pad Thai, which is usually pretty basic, was exceptional. So based on that alone I can only imagine how tasty some of their more complex dishes would be. 

The service continued to be outstanding throughout dinner and even when we proclaimed we were too full for dessert (but we'll take another round of drinks), the waiter surprised us with a complimentary fruit plate. Our high spirits from the delicious meal kept the wine flowing and eventually inspired us to tie one on that Tuesday night. So thank you Khao San Thai Kitchen for a wildly successful August dinner club!

- c

overall ratings:

Food	8.5	Service	8
Presentation	8	Value	7.5
Ambiance	7.5	Will you go back?	Yes x 5

final score - 7.9