Himalayan in San Diego

For you veggie voyagers in (or planning a visit to) San Diego, I recommend this hidden gem, which is definitely off the beaten path.

left to right: malai kofta, palak paneer and alu bhanta

Nestled in the La Mesa Boulevard Station (read: strip mall), this unassuming restaurant has great food, cheap house wine, and a warm, cozy atmosphere. Not to mention, the waiters don the most awesome uniforms (traditional hats, vests, and tops), and as you walk in the door of ‘Himalayan Cuisine’, each one brings his hands into Angali Mudra and spouts a cheerful “Namaste!” before seating you.

Last night I went there with a couple of girlfriends and we shared three delicious dishes. I can highly reccommend the Malai Kofta, and the Palak Paneer. (The Alu Bhanta was good, but I’ve had better.) Malai Kofta consists of delicate fried potato and paneer croquettes swimming in a creamy tomato sauce. They were fluffy, creamy and savory. The Palak Paneer was a perfect balance of spinach, paneer, and what are touted on the menu as “Himalayan spices”. All served with delicate basmati rice…

Another awesome feature of this place is that they have a cheap ($3.95) and decent house wine, served by the glass. I remember this being the norm in Greece and other parts of Europe, and I’m happy to see it in action at this groovy establishment! (I would not, however, recommend the mango lassi. An unnatural shade of orange, I’m sure it comes from a powdered mix. Not their best offering.)

I’m not the only one who loves this place. They get great reviews on the web as well.

Here is a link to the menu. Hope to see you there!