Inspired by reading Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” as well as previous posts about the lack of vegetarian offerings in cville, I wanted to look deeper into Charlottesville’s vegetarian friendly scene. I know, Pollan’s book focuses more on “local” and “slow” food, but I have to start somewhere. This post is thus part of a multi-series journey into all things vegetarian in Charlottesville. The next couple of days will be spent only eating veggie fare in Charlottesville. Meat haters rejoice.
Despite the dreary weather, we can always rely on comfort food. And what better way to remind yourself of your American upbringing than a dinner in the city’s only Tibetan Slash Nepalese Slash Indian restaurant? I know, the logic is shocking. But the weather does inspire you to try something new, and I am very glad we did.
The downtown mall was totally dead last night…and then we came across Himalayan Fusion and the place is packed (as much as it can be on a Monday night in cville).
And as you walk in…
- Décor (check)
- Ambient lighting (check)
- Full bar (check)
- Open check (double check)
- Theme music (check)
It seemed to have all the puzzle pieces a solid restaurant has to offer, but what of the food? We decided to start with an appetizer, or how about three?
Chat Papry: Chickpeas, potatoes, and crispy wafers tossed in a tamarind dressing and finished off with a a wonderfully plated yogurt sauce. This dish is served cold and could be compared to an Indian salsa. It was dam good. The menu says crispy wafers, but they really looked like fried wonton wrappers…still good though! This dish is definitely worth a try to the shy diners…it shouldn’t dissapoint.
Veggie Samosas: the standard samosa? Think again! The flour tastes like whole wheat, but moist and not too greasy. Filling? The potatoes have a creamy consistency provided by a chef who really cares about food quality. As for presentation, they were expertly cut in half which helped us avoid that awkward moment in an Indian restaurant where you want to split a somasa and the pastry shell explodes and you are left with an ugly mess. Once halved, they are served on a tamarind sauce, and they were sprinkled with some kind of masala (someone help!). Yum.
Veggie Momos: a Nepalese version of a vegetable dumpling. The wrapper is great, but the inside does leave something to be desired. Looks? Definitely sexy.
The meal was excellent. I feel full right now, but not piggish…and it was all accomplished without any meat. Speaking of meat, I had to eat all the veggies on my plate while the other diners had sizzling lamb platters and various chicken curries. Jealous I am, but, I must stay true to this week’s vegetable experience.
On another note, our waiter provided just as much entertainment as our meal. He seemed extremely stressed, or perhaps mentally pre-occupied with something else besides getting our food to the table. I noticed however that his concentration turned into overdrive when he was joking around with the table of UVA co-eds behind us. We really can’t blame him can we? What I loved was that he didn’t make excuses for it and apologized for it. He even told us a joke on the way out! Yes, a great dinner it was.
Has anyone else gone all the way and sampled their different entrées? We had planned on ordering an entrée, but three apps for two seems to cut it just fine. To top it all, the total tab including tip was $28 (3 apps and 2 drinks).
Photo from Tom Field’s blog slash Belmont Yo’s crazy digicam lab.
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, charlottesville vegetarian festival, cville veg fest, diet, dining, eat, farm, farmers market, Food, happy cow, healthy, Himalayan Fusion, Local, local food, no meat, non-dairy, Organic, raw food, recommendation, Restaurant, restriction, slow food, vegan, Vegetarian, vegetarian guide, veggie heaven, veggieheadonline, vegguide.org
I love the samosa and the Lamb Sheish Kabab(sp??). The place rocks though. Very IKEA’ish. As a matter of fact, it looks like the went to the Swedish store and bought everything there, from the chairs, lighting to the wine glasses.
The service rocks too. I can even recommend a waiter there who gives exceptional service, but it maybe better if you experience it yourself. Better yet, let’s meet there.
The lunch buffet is well worth it. Next time you’re looking for something a little different downtown, I highly recommend it.
Another “order them, stat” for the samosas, too. They are scrumptious.
So… Himalayan Fusion: Come for the sexy momos, stay for the humorous horny waiter.
Will check the buffet though, hard to find a good veggie buffet since Ming Dynasty stopped theirs.
Cant wait for the other, um, series’ in this… erm series.
I would actually say stay away from the momos but do come for the papri/samosas and humorous horny waiter. He was like, out of the zone…then engaged by the buxom co-eds, he is the sharpest person you ever saw…oh college days!
Oh and…
scowly! haha, I must change the pic, with b’yo’s permission of course…I guess its a good sign when scowly is having dinner somewhere before the rest of us?
Anything I post here you can do whatever you want with… no need to ask.
@5. I just got busted laughing my ass off. Very funny.
I gotta check it out. Right now I’m ODing on The Box. Have any of you ever been to that Ethiopian place Mesob on the Corner? Veggie heaven!
@10 Now that is completely bizarre. I just agreed to go to Mesob for dinner on Friday (pre-Nick Lowe at Satellite). Never been there before. If it has the Shenanigans seal of approval, well, I know I’m doing the right thing.
@3 The buffet at Himalayan isn’t actually veggie. There are plenty of veggie options, but there is also a lot o’ meat among the offerings. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you’re getting into, B’Yo. I’d advise that you ask if you could just check out what is sitting out before committing to it. Decide for yourself if you could make a meal on the veggie offerings.
HF’s lunch buffet is amazing. i went on a saturday and it wasn’t crowded at all, which was nice. not a bad thing there to be had.
you know, i didn’t even notice the doctored photo until i clicked on the linky. niiiice.
Right now I’m ODing on The Box
…must… resist… comment…
… actually, i ate there last night and was delighted. i dream of udon noodles through the rainy window…
So is the HF buffet all ‘you can eat’? What does it cost? Do they accept US currency or just Nepali Rupees? Are the waiters dressed as sherpas? Because that would be awesome.
/we established base camp at the salad portion of the buffet…
speaking of base camp, just watched Raiders of the Lost Ark last night, and in the scene where Indiana flies to Nepal to get the medallion, he walks into the tavern wearing just a leather coat…in Nepal…whilst the wind is blowing like a she-demon outside. He must have had version 1.0 of Goretex in the 30’s…thin layer, just as useful in the scorching hot desert as it is in the freezing mountains of Nepal!
@10 mesob is fabulous. i always go there with my veggie friend for the buffet (M-Sa 11-2, i think, like $7).
@12 the reason HF’s lunch buffet isn’t crowded is that, compared to the other indian lunch buffets, it sucks. very few options. i went there for dinner a couple of weeks ago & enjoyed it much more, though.
haha, orchid lays the smackdown! challenger?
@10 I’ve always wanted to try Mesob, but every time I’m on the corner I end up at San Maarten’s instead. I blame my buddy who doesn’t like Ethiopian food
@15 I agree with orchid that HF’s buffet isn’t that great — though to be fair I’ve only tried it once. Milan is my favorite, though their buffet doesn’t hold a candle to their full menu. And for buffet, Maharaja is just about as good as Milan.
every time I’m on the corner I end up at San Maarten’s instead. I blame my buddy who doesn’t like
Ethiopian foodwindows.There. Fixed that for you, Zas.
@18 AH HA! Now at last I know his secret! That explains the heavy black drapes in his house, too.
When I first wrote about Himalayan Fusion back in August 2006, I said, “Himalayan Fusion is the best Indian Restaurant in Charlottesville. Unfortunately, that’s still not saying much.” It has gone downhill since then. I’ve had a couple of decent experiences, but mostly, I’ve been disappointed. I only go back when someone I’m with wants to go, as I did yesterday for lunch. It was not good.
I’ve been up to The Royal Indian twice now, and it has been incredible. It’s practically at the airport, so it’s not as convenient as HF. If you decide to take the time to head up there, though, get the Goat Curry. If you blindfolded me and put it side-by-side with my mom’s, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Some of their dishes weirded me out (cream in matter paneer? what?), but everything I’ve had their has been good. I’ve been there twice now, and I love it.
As for Ethiopian food, it seems like something I would like, but whenever I try it, I can’t taste anything. I think it’s just my curry-seared taste buds.
Ooh I love The Royal Indian. The food is great and the service has always been really friendly the 3 or 4 times I’ve been. I have heard that they have a good lunch buffet, but haven’t been able to check it out yet.
Wow, my post #20 was really disjointed. That’s what I get for writing half of it and then finishing the other half later.
Anoop, thanks for the insights… we will check out Royal Indian.
I think I’m going to amend my “great lunch buffet” statement with the words “given your options on the mall.” It sounds as if you might do better seeking out other Indian buffet lunches (as should I). But I’d still choose it over Peking (the only other buffet lunch on the mall, of which I’m aware). Everything on the Peking buffet tastes tremendously oversalted to me. More options at the Peking buffet, but better food at Himalayan.
For the record, I just got off the phone ordering dinner from Royal Indian. Blasted internet making me crave delicious Indian food!
What did you order?
Dammit! I’m stuck at work without food. Stop making me hungry!!!
/wants Indian food, too
What did you order?
Tadaka Dal and a Bread Basket (Naan, Garlic Naan, and another Naan of your choosing [I chose this onion one]).
/with apologies to ThatGrrl
@ 24 - *nods* what she said. orchid, while there aren’t a lot of options, i really like what few things they _do_ offer. i’m not hard to please, so there you go.
@ 18 - hahahahaha! i love maarten’s, but the lack of windows has creeped me out ten years running now. the world could end and if you were in there you’d have no idea.
Yum. Sounds excellent, Stanley. I do love a good naan. Does anyone do really good poori around here? I always loved that as a kid. Pulling off the edge and watching it deflate was a meal and a show.
BTW, to Stanley: Nick Lowe on Friday? Feist on Saturday? Inquiring minds. Me, yes to both.
/your kindred music twin
Nick Lowe on Friday? Feist on Saturday?
Maybe Nick Lowe; alas, no Feist. You’ll have to do the rocking out for the both us. I have faith in your abilities.
I’ll rock on without you, Stanley. Sadly, but effectively!
samosa crust at himalayan fusion is wonderful. yum. i want it right now. only been there once but i’d say its good, although not as good as maharaja which is on 29 near kmart — they are goooooooooooooooooood.
@29 not saying i didn’t go back for thirds
just comparatively.
[…] yesterday’s UVa student presentation on the Charlottesville Glocal Food System. I know, Vanillavy is handling all of the “green” stuff this week, but a flyer for the event caught my eye […]
Jeez, how do you guys stomach the weirdo food served there. Bail over to cheeseburger and get something decent. No you want get fat if work out once in a blue moon, and your complexion want look like something from a Dracula movie.
@ 36. I humbly disagree with your assesment, Captain Fail.
Is it the cheeseburgers that make your english so bad?
And see there goes Shenanigans pickiing on new people for having a different opion and all she can do is to pick on the grammar. I really don’t think she like anyone outside if the cliche. Kinda sad.
@37 i love hamburgers.
I love veggie burgers, and can definitely see the appeal of hamburgers if I ate meat. My disagreement was with the suggested palor of those that refrain, such as myself. Thus my umbrage.
/that and I like to post oddball pictures.
@36… are you Yoda?
vanillavy, Mr. Pollan has two Ls in his name as do you.
awww bad grammar!
ahem bad *cough* spelling
Had a capital A-mazing time at the Himmy last night. Marty McFlarb and I split the veggie momos (left nothing to be desired - totally perfect) and the yellow dal (non-vegan). Both had some nice kick, and the sauce with the momos was excellently spicy. Oh and garlic nan. Definitely the best Himmy meal I’ve had to date. Plus, sitting outside allows the air to clear out really fast so that if the table next to you gets the sizzling plate of smoke and onions, you don’t stank like it for days. Great service, and fast fast delivery of the food to our table.
I believe I spotted another Villain in the room as well…
[…] Himalayan Fusion: probably the most veggie friendly restaurant of the roundup, and the most tasty variety of dishes. A lot of you either agreed, or went on to bash their lunch buffet which apparently tastes like caca. All was not lost as Anoop gave us terrific insight into a hidden veggie friendly cville gem, The Royal Indian. […]
I just had the hottest they offer from here and let me tell you.. that stuff is insanely hot!
[…] a nice surprise. While not as airy as the honey, the taste was dead on and was perfect for a post-Himalayan Fusion dinner. It was a nice contrast to the honey’s […]
[…] place is vegetarian friendly (as our very own Vanillavy will tell you). They offer the perfect size appetizers that won’t spoil dinner. Food can be ordered mild to […]