Tibet Nepal House

Last week was spring break so we had more culinary experiences than usual. We, also, had a short camping trip to San Diego, so it is taking me some time to get around to writing about our eating and cooking adventures. But, finally a moment between potty training and lesson planning to catch up.

At the beginning of our week off, David, daughter, and I headed up to the Huntington Gardens for the afternoon. The Huntington has a beautiful children's garden where the small kids can get their hands in water and sand and play. We stopped on the way to visit Vroman's, one of the few remaining independent bookstores in the LA area, and then went for lunch in Old Town Pasadena. We headed to the Tibet Nepal House, which sits on a side street off Fair Oaks Blvd (at 36 E. Holly Street/ (626) 585-9955). It is decorated with Himalayan artifacts, photos, and Budhist statues, including a large waterfall that provides a soothing background to your meal.

I was still recovering from the flu, so I stuck to the vegetarian entrees. I began with Sabjee Pakoda, similar to Indian pakoras. These are deep-fried vegetables battered with chickpea flour and spices, and I ate them with a little mango chutney on the side. Next, I tried the lentil soup, a thin daal simmered in Himalayan spices. I ate this with a bit of rice, and it was delicately spiced, perfect for my recovering stomach. Very flavorful, but not heavy. Other vegetarian entrees included Aloo Baigoon Tarkarri (a Nepalese dish with eggplant and potatoes) and Tofu Saag (tofu cooked with pureed spinach).

David partook of some of the meat and seafood dishes. There was a very spicy chicken dish called Chyamtange Pujaari that I was dying to try and Himalayan Chicken that was similar to Tandori. And lastly, he tried Masala Jhinge Macha, shrimp cooked in a Masala cream sauce. All excellent and distinct from one another. For little daughter-person, we brought along some vegetables, cheese, fruit and milk, and she had some rice and half a basket of Naan.

We all enjoyed the meal and then headed off to the Huntington, where we checked out the children's garden and the large John Constable exhibit. Then we headed over to the Japanese gardens, so that the kid could look at the Koi in the ponds. As we headed to the fish ponds, we walked past the new Chinese garden that is being built. The stones that they have brought from China are incredible. I walked through it last summer when it was open for a sneak preview and the stone shapes were absolutely amazing. Afterwards, we let daughter run her legs off as we headed out of the park. It's a great place for kids on a nice day.

So, this was the first of our dining experiences of the week. We wished we lived closer to Pasadena so we could pick up some take-out. Their menu includes yak entrees, and I'm dying to try them.

And what about you? What new restaurants have you tried lately in your area?