Nepalese/Himalayan Food

Road Trip – Himalayan Restaurant, Sister My Sister Bake Shop, Alpine Pedal Path Trail, and Boulder Bay Park (Big Bear)

June 26, 2026 mmm-yoso Bakery, Indian Restaurants, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, Road Trip, San Bernadino County, CA, Travel

I really enjoyed the view of Big Bear Lake from our patio at the Marina Riviera.

I found it so serene and relaxing.

We soon headed on out, stopping at Sister My Sister Bake Shop for some coffee and for something small for breakfast.

It’s a cute little bakery, designed for takeout.

Looking for something more savory, I got the Bacon Cheddar Chive Scone ($5.25) to go.

Sister My Sister Bake Shop
40191 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

We then back tracked thru downtown Big Bear, crossing the lake on the Stanfield Cutoff, finding parking alongside the Alpine Pedal Path. Which was on the opposite side of the lake from where we were staying. We sat on one of the benches and enjoyed the view.

While I had my hefty, dense scone.

I enjoyed the fact that the scone, even though quite dense, wasn’t overly dry.

Once finished, we set off on the paved path. I know it was somewhat too easy for the Missus, but I really enjoyed the view.

And the round trip was 5.3 miles. Enough for a nice morning.

Eventually, you end up around some campgrounds and a forested area.

And at the Big Bear Solar Observatory, which we could see from our hotel across the lake, we turned around and headed back.

We drove back to the Marina Riviera, parked and decided to look for a place to have an early lunch.

For some reason, She was attracted to Himalayan Restaurant, which had a back patio that’s dog friendly.

So, we got a table. The gentleman who served us was very friendly. And when he found out that we were from San Diego, he told us that he used to work at Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa! Which is why we ended up visiting upon returning to San Diego.

The Missus saw several dishes that appealed to Her, starting with the Rogan Josh.

Man, that lamb was so tender, but still gamey enough to enjoy. We loved the complex spices and earthy tones and it did have a bit of heat to it.

We also got the Okra dish….which seemed like a version of Bhindi Masala. This actually had some decent spice as well.

We enjoyed the “neba neba” of the okra, which even presented a bit of sweetness; the acidity of the tomatoes, and the pungent and earthy tones from the spices.

Both dishes went well with the crisp, but tender naan.

And we even had some rice….nice and fragrant, fulfilling our carbs for the rest of the week!

The Missus really enjoyed this meal….and now has a favorite restaurant in Big Bear!

Himalayan Restaurant
672 Pine Knot Ave.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

After a short respite, we decided to check out a place I’d read about right on Big Bear Lake with a kind of iconic view, Boulder Bay Park. So we drive on over and in spite of the tiny lot there was quite a bit of parking available. Everything is nicely maintained, grassy areas, with a paved walkway meandering thru the park.

If one ignores the buildings across the street and on the east side of the cove, it makes for a lovely scene.

I was told that sunset was prime time here for photographers, though there was a group taking wedding photos. It was a nice little stop.

As we were leaving the park, there was a line of cars waiting to get in….and traffic back into Big Bear was crazy. Well, it seemed like the weekend had just hit!

We parked at the hotel and walked back up Pine Knot Avenue….but man, things were really hopping. Later we walked back up looking for some places to have dinner, but things were just too crowded. We headed back to the Marina Riviera and just decided to grab a small bite and have some drinks. After all, we still had a $25 credit for food and drink for the evening.

Man, the place was hopping.

While there was seating at the bar, all other tables were taken.

But then Kinzey and then the wonderful woman who I believe is the chef at this location, Jenn saw us. Both of them had been so wonderful, accommodating, and friendly during our stay, so naturally, in spite of the discount, we tipped well. And they also loved JJ! So, perhaps he’s earning his keep? Anyway, they told us to hold on a for a minute and put together a table for us! Amazing!

So, we had a nice light dinner and cocktails at De la Nonna.

At the end of our meal, Kinzey gave me her business card saying to text her if we’re headed up and she’ll give us info on what is going on!

Well, I know where we’re staying and eating when we get back to Big Bear, right?

De la Nonna Big Bear (In the Hotel Marina Riviera)
40770 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

The next morning we headed out and traffic was pretty crazy….so note to self, even on random fall weekends….things are busy in Big Bear….I’ll need to plan a bit better next time!

Road Trip – Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen, The Landing Lakeside Dining, and Sugar Pine Point State Park

May 2, 2026 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Indian Restaurants, Lake Tahoe, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, Road Trip, Travel

After spending two nights at the Forest Suites Resort, we checked out. We’d be spending the next three nights at the place I really wanted to stay at; the Landing Resort & Spa. Of course we had to figure out what to do before checking in….which was really easy. The Missus really enjoyed our stay in Tahoma on a previous road trip and while the small town didn’t have dog friendly restaurants or accommodations, we headed back up so She could do some paddleboarding at Sugar Pine Point Beach. The drive there was of course quite beautiful.

And once we got to Sugar Pine State Park, well, the Missus got to doing Her “SUP” thing ASAP. Which initially included JJ.

Who soon got tired of the whole thing. After which, I just took him to explore the area, which I was somewhat familiar with from our previous visit.

He enjoyed the walk and exploring.

Though he did miss his “mom”.

And then I saw this sign……which was indeed a “sign” for us to take our leave…..

On the way back into South Lake Tahoe, we decided to stop for lunch. The Missus waned something “different” so I found a place named “Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen”, a bit off highway 50 for lunch.

There was ample outdoor seating…..

And though the place was quite busy, the folks working were really accommodating as we sat outside.

We started with the Vegetable Pakora, basically vegetable fritters.

We enjoyed the sauces, because the fritters were on the bland side and the texture was quite “gummy”.

The Garlic Naan was fine, if a bit doughy. At least it had some nice garlic flavor.

The Lamb Curry was fine. Though the lamb was on the tougher side, at least it was quite aromatic, with a decent savory-richness. And quite hearty.

Really thick in texture…and we would have enjoyed a bit more spice.

We didn’t leave hungry though.

Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen
1142 Ski Run Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

We stopped to do some shopping on the way to check in…… We both cracked up when we saw this shirt.

And were tempted to get for….well…someone!

We then went over and checked in at the Landing Resort & Spa. I just wanted to stay here for the location. I enjoyed the view.

While JJ enjoyed…….

We just really enjoyed the fact that it was across from Lake Tahoe.

We decided to dine at the hotel’s restaurant; the Landing Lakeside Dining. The menu was no joke with entrees hitting the sixty dollar mark. Luckily, we weren’t very hungry and just did some cocktails and two apps.

The Duck “Nachos” were really like two tostadas.

The butternut squash sauce seemed a bit on the “thin” side and was too sweet. The duck confit tasted fine; good savoriness, but was on the chewy-dry side.

The Pork Belly just had too much going on.

With the yuzu emulsion clashing with the passionfruit glaze. Not sure why this needed chorizo, since the pork belly was nice and porky, and quite tender. The little dollops of parsnip puree was not enough to really contribute to the dish.

Really nice service with a good view of Lakeside Beach, but the dishes were a bit too over-the-top for us.

The Landing Lakeside Dining
4104 Lakeshore Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

But staying right across the street from Lakeside Beach had its benefits.

And dogs are allowed on the beach during the summer months; which is when we were here.

JJ does love the sand!

This was a lot more relaxed and peaceful than the busy Heavenly Village area. We enjoyed watching the sun set over the horizon!

Himalayan Cuisine (La Mesa)

March 15, 2026 mmm-yoso Indian Restaurants, Nepalese/Himalayan Food

On one of our Road Trips with JJ last year, we headed up to Big Bear. During our visit, one of our favorite dining experiences was at a restaurant/bar named Club Bombay. The back patio was super dog friendly and the gentleman who served us was wonderful! At the end of the meal, he asked us where we hailed from and we told him “San Diego”. He smiled and said he worked and lived in La Mesa for a while. And said he was a Server at Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa! Small world, right? Anyway, we enjoyed the food and the service and decided to check out Himalayan Cuisine when we had some time recently. Sadly, JJ couldn’t join us, but I’m sure he’ll forgive us, right??? Well, maybe not!

The restaurant is located in a mall off of ECB and Guava Avenue. In fact, Cathy did a post on this place back in 2008….though it was then Himalayan Cuisine; Indian & Italian (???) Cuisine. I’m not sure what changed other than it’s now serving Nepalese and Indian food.

Even though it was a weekend, the place was really quiet on a Sunday at 11 when we arrived.

I’m guessing it’s usually pretty mellow during this time of the day because it took a while for one of the folks working to notice us. But he eventually did and we were seated in the bar area. The restaurant is pretty large!

We had made the decision ahead of time to get the exact same dishes we’d had in Big Bear and see how the places compared.

Of course we got some Naan ($3).

This was a bit harder and chewier than we prefer. We enjoy our naan to be more crisp, mildly chewy, with a light pillowiness. Nice yeasty-mildly nutty tones though.

We had really enjoyed the Bindi Masala in Big Bear, so couldn’t wait to try the version here ($16). As you can tell, Bindi Masala features okra. We got this medium heat, but man…it was spicy indeed!

The version in BB had tomatoes in it; which added a nice sweet-acidity to the dish, it was missing here. This one was in your face spicy, the okra wasn’t as “neba neba” as we liked. This also seemed to have a lot of tumeric, or some similar spice which made it kind of bitter.

The rice was fine.

If a bit on the drier side.

The other dish we loved in BB was the Rogan Josh, which we also ordered here ($21).

This was pleasantly spicy, though the lamb, while being quite gamey, was on the chewier side. There was a nice almost anise like flavor; the sauce was quite thick with a nice tomato flavor. This was the better of the two dishes to us.

Though to be honest, we thought Club Bombay in Big Bear was actually more to our taste. Still, it was fun trying this place out. And when the gentleman serving us asked how we knew about this place we mentioned our experience in Big Bear. He laughed and said the fellow (sorry, his name has slipped my brain) had worked here for a bit over a year before moving to Big Bear.

Himalayan Cuisine
7918 El Cajon Blvd.
La Mesa, CA 91942
Current Hours:
Sun – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm

Himalayan Palace Restaurant (Sports Arena)

April 28, 2022 Cathy Indian Restaurants, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Cathy is writing today.

In February, The Mister and I found ourselves in the Sports Arena area of town and pulled into the parking lot between Phil's BBQ and Red Lobster. In the back of that parking lot, we saw cars parked in front of this longstanding establishment and decided to try it for lunch. We have returned. (Prices have changed; I will list current approximate prices).
The colorful interior (look at that ceiling!) is happy.

The menu is small, one sheet printed on both sides.
The Paneer Pakora ($7) is paneer cheese wrapped in chickpea batter and deep fried. The little pockets are served with a tamarind dip and a mint chutney. This was a wonderful choice of both textures and flavors.
The keema naan (ground lamb filled bread)($8) was also an excellent choice. Fresh made bread filled with ground lamb which was cooked with various herbs. Satisfying and tasty.
The Muligatawny soup ($7) was absolutely mesemerizing with the lentils and chicken and (mild) curry along with a bit of 'sweet' (apple). On the most recent visit, the mulligatawny was not on the menu, but mushroom soup ($7) was a choice. Creamy, garlic-y minced mushrooms blended with cumin and a few other spices, with a touch of (black?) pepper 'heat' in the background. A good size serving.

Chicken Biryani ($14) is served in this deceptively deep bowl. Basmati rice and shredded carrots with boneless chicken, ghee and whole spices (we chewed on some cardamom pods along with mustard seeds and fennel seeds; there were more) and fresh mint and cilantro. So many flavors!

On our first visit, we saw this window signage. The price has increased to $11.95. Worth it.
This is the 'non-vegetable' Thali. Rice and papadum (dough made with lentils or black beans, rolled very thin and deep fried) at the top (clockwise) Tandoori chicken, pickled vegetables, chicken tikka masala. In the center is kheer (rice pudding). The vegetable Thali plate with rice and papadum , Navaratna Korma (onion, ginger, cashews, garlic and sesame seeds blended with coconut milk to make a sauce) along with carrot, onion, peas, raisins, almonds and paneer. Pickled vegetables. Saag (spinach) paneer (really good). Again, kheer in the center dessert area.
The lunch specials include butter naan.

All in all, this longstanding (32 years) restaurant survived the Pandemic for a reason; quality. The friendly, informative staff and plethora of 'regulars' along with the remarkable fresh and flavorful choices make this a wonderful place for a meal.

Himalayan Palace Restaurant 3760 Sports Arena Blvd San Diego 92110 (619) 510-4966 Fax: (619) 510-4968 Open daily 11-3, 4-9 Website

A cooling mango lassi (yogurt-mango beverage) ($5)

Taste of Himalayas (UTC)

November 12, 2019 mmm-yoso Nepalese/Himalayan Food

I first noticed that Taste of Himalayas was expanding to UTC back in October of last year. They finally opened around April-ish of this past year. I finally made an effort to check them out couple of weeks back.

I got there right at opening time on both visits. The parking lot at Renaissance Towne Center can be a bit of a mess during lunch since the lane sizes are small and the parking stalls quite cramped.

The interior is a very bright red!

On both visits, service was very nice and attentive.

I noticed that ToH had a lunch special menu with two dishes for $11.95……though taking a quick look, the bottom House Specials added on an extra $3. I had wanted to try both the Bhera-ko Tarkari and the Goat Curry, but that would hav brought lunch up to near the $20 range. So, I went with the Chicken Chilly and the Bhera-ko Takari.

First up was a huge basket of Naan……nice and warm….

And a typical "lunch special soup", in this case lentil based, which was super bland.

Then my Chicken Chilly and Bhera-ko Takari (literally Lamb Curry) arrived. The portion sizes were reasonable.

I loved the colors of the dishes, which didn't look overly greasy. The Basmati rice was fragrant, but a bit on the "hard" side. The lamb was fairly tender, wonderfully gamey, the curry had a mild spice, with earthy flavors. A very nice dish. The Chicken Chilly, which I kind of consider to be a "Chindian" style dish had some zing to it. It was bit too dry for my taste and perhaps too "one-note" in flavor for me.

Still, not bad….I also saw something on the menu that I hadn't had in years, so I decided to return and just ordered from the regular menu.

First up, the Panner Pakora ($5.95).

Basically, fried cheese. I actually enjoy the rather firm texture of paneer, so I was fine with this dish, though I wish it was more crisp and less greasy. Also, the chutney provided was too sweet for my taste, but the really nice young man soon came to the rescue with some very good mint chutney.

The item(s) I really wanted to try were the Momo's. The last time I had Momo was in Madison over nine years ago….and before that at the Saturday Market in Portland…sheesh….over thirteen years ago! Time sure does fly. Anyway, you know I have a thing about jiaozi and similar dumplings.

I ordered the Mized Momo ($13.95), which came with three each of the Vegetable, the Chicken, and the Lamb dumplings.

My favorite by far was the Lamb Momo as it had a nice distinctive lamb flavor and the spices really complimented the meat. The chicken version almost tasted like a bland Chinese Jiaozi. The veggie was really bland and needed more seaoning/flavor. Sorry to say, the wrappers weren't up to task and were quite brittle falling apart easily, lacking in that slight fluffy elasticity that I look for in dumplings. After all that cheese, I ended up taking one of each Momo home for the Missus to try…..Her favorite? The lamb. I'd gladly have that again….though wish the wrappers were a bit better.

All in all, ToH is fairly pricey, but I enjoyed the items I had with lamb. I'll make some time in the near future to try out the goat.

Taste of The Himalayas
8895 Towne Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Hours:
Daily 11am – 10pm

Madison: Chautara Restaurant

June 30, 2007 mmm-yoso Madison, Wisconsin, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, Travel

*** Chautara has closed

I found out I'd be going to Madison, Wisconsin for business a few weeks ago. So being the typical food obsessed blogger, I did some research on Chowhound and other resources, and made a short list of restaurants and other eating establishments. Now these type of trips are sometimes a bit dicey, since it means several people sharing one car, etc, etc…. Luckily, I was teamed up with two other really laid back guys, who to a certain extent humored me when it came to eating. During the trip all breakfast and lunches were accounted for, so other than travel days, dinner was the only meal where we had a choice.

We flew in to Chicago-Midway Airport for several reasons which I won't go into at this time. And though we arrived at about 4 in the afternoon, due to various technical difficulties, we used the "scenic route" to get to Madison. It was a nice drive, but I think we saw every single corn field between Chicago and Madison. After checking in we headed out and got to State Street around 9pm. After walking with rumbling stomachs for a bit we settled on Chautara.

Chautara

This photo was taken a few days after our visit. Unfortunately, our visit was so very late, on a almost pitch dark evening. This being a fairly warm evening we also chose a table outside with the barest of light provided by candlelight. So my apologies in advance for the really sad and sorry photos. I had considered not doing a post at all, but decided to just go ahead…..

What I found really interesting about eclectic State Street was the variety of restaurant available, everything from African to Thai can be found on State Street or on one of the side streets. This can't be more clearly illustrated than in the existence of Chautara and Himul Chuli. Incredibly, there is not one, but two Nepalese Restaurants located on State Street.

Even though it was almost 930pm we were seated by our perky and very friendly Server Liz. After perusing the menu, we made our selections. I ordered the Khasi Ko Masu($17). The meal started with a nicely flavored soupy preparation featuring Dal. The flavors were balanced in this hearty soup.

The Khasi Ko Masu is basically a goat curry. This version was excellent, the goat meat retained some of the nice gamey wild flavor, and was very soft and tender. There was a nice quantity of meat, I'd expected more bones, but there were very few. The flavor of the curry was excellent and balanced, you could make out the ginger, coriander, and other spices, but none of them was overpowering. The tart tomato was a nice foil and provided a nice contrast. To put it simply, this was a very well prepared meal.

All of my companions enjoyed their meals. Our Server, the ever smiling Liz was a joy. Being somewhat weary, this was a nice start to our trip to Madison.

Chautara Restaurant
334 State St
Madison, WI 53703

State Street, the lively heart of Madison, features casual and varied flavors. There is one thing you must remember. State Street itself is a pedestrian mall. Only Buses, delivery vehicles, and bicycles(and there are many!) are allowed.

In other words, don't be like us….nerdy techies using our GPS system(don't you love modern technology?). We took a turn onto State Street. We're driving along, and I notice that while there are many people eating and walking, I notice not a single car! Of course we come to find out that automobiles are not allowed on State Street. I'm guessing that the clueless are many, for not a single pedestrian stared, nor batted an eye…… Makes me a feel much better, that's for sure!