Himalayan Cafe @ Baldwin Park

Ever since I went to a Nepali thali restaurant a few years back,
I became a big fan of this region's cuisine.

It would be obvious how excited I was when I learned that Himalayan Cafe had opened up a chain around my area! We got take outs from them a few times before actually dining in.
They have buffet lunch I think everyday, only $9.99 per person, quite reasonable.

Although only recently opened, they already have pretty good reviews on Yelp.
However the restaurant looked so empty when we stepped in one Saturday noon,
which made me kinda worried, because I want them to do good so they would be around for a long time. In Baldwin Park, there were mostly fast food and Mexican restaurants, it would be nice to have more variety of choices.


It's a decent sized restaurant with lots of tables, including outdoor seating.
In a hot day like this of course we were better off staying inside and enjoying the AC :P
Simple decors included some pictures of Himalayan scenery.
There was also a TV playing sport event.




Very pretty craft art on each table top


Even the small container for sugar packs was artsy.


These were the buffet items they offered that day (I don't know if each day is different)
Mix Vegetable
Basmati Rice


Chicken Tikka Masala


Chicken Vindaloo


Vegetable Korma
This one was Andy's fav


Saag Paneer
Looks a little weird but it's actually quite good!
There was spinach puree and homemade cheese cubes,
which didn't taste like cheese to me, instead I thought they were tofu.


Zucani Fry
I like to eat this with the naan,

it's a little spicy and added to the flavor


Mix Daal


Tandoori Chicken
Me and Andy both recommend this.
Chicken was marinated overnight and then roasted in clay oven.
We both ate a lot of these



Fruit & Salads
Rice Pudding


I got a little of everything,
some sauces tasted similar, but I liked them all,
they went so well with the rice,


or with the naan, too!
They were the best when first served hot.


I also tried the rice pudding, it's fresh and I was sure this was also homemade.
But I think I liked the Mexican version better, because of the heavier milk and cinnamon taste.


Compared to a la carte, the buffet lunch was definitely the way to go,
overall cheaper and you get to try different items at once.
The service was attentive, our server would come and check on us to see if we need more water.
If you also like Himalayan/Indian/Tibetan food, this is the place to try!

HIMALAYAN CAFE
4291 Maine Ave, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
TEL:(626) 856-5100
Larger map
http://www.himalayancafela.com/
Yelp

You can order online here, they also offer delivery within a certain distance!
himalayancafe.net