Restaurant Review: Himal Chuli (WI)

Himal Chuli is a small, independently owned Tibetan restaurant nestled in the middle of State Street. Himal Chuli has an extremely authentic feel to it, and is more catering to casual dining than anything fancy. It has intimacy and is comfortable, but at the same time, there is not a whole lot of privacy available since the restaurant itself is small.

The menu is split into vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, providing many options for those who don't consume animal products. The rice and takari (and dal) is a good-sized portion for the price (approximately seven or eight dollars). Takari is a vegetable stew, with two choices, which change every few days and served with brown or white rice. It is flavorful and filling, yet not too heavy. It resembles a curried stew with a slice of lemon on the plate for an additional zest. The broth/sauce is light and not greasy. The vegetables were cooked to perfection: tender, yet not overdone. As many dishes on the menu, this is a good dish for healthful eating.

This dish can also come with dal for an extra dollar. The dal was not bad, but not particularly good, either. It is a bean-based soup with a small ribbon of mint leaves. The smell and flavor wasn't sensational, but with some added salt and pepper it was warm and filling. The portion size is a small cup and not necessarily worth that extra dollar.

The momochas are delicate and good and as long as ordered sans yogurt sauce, they are vegan. They essentially are analagous to spring rolls, whereas samosas are the equivalent to an eggroll (yet vegan). The samosas are also good, yet the pastry shell is a bit too thick for my liking and quite dry. I suppose that's what the dipping sauces are an ailment for and although there is a good variety of them presented, it did not change my ranking of momochas over samosas. However, if you are exceptionally hungry, the samosas are more filling. There are two samosas for about seven dollars, four momochas also for seven dollars, or six momochas for eight to nine dollars.