Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine

Never one to pass up a deal and constantly searching to appease the cravings for Indian food that have plagued me since returning from months in London, I decided to deviate a bit and pay Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine a visit.
Star 1 — How was the service and atmosphere?
While some might be put off by the very plain exterior, Tara’s interior far from disappoints. From the artwork depicting Nepal on the walls to the authentic staff (my server was actually from Nepal), Tara’s provides a comfortable atmosphere by which to experience a lesser-​known cuisine. Food comes fast and is cooked fresh. Star Granted.
Star 2 — How were the portions relative to the cost?
With Unilocalers raving left and right about the Yak Chili, I had to pounce, and I was far from disappointed. Coming in at $ 12 before tax and tip, this was an expensive dish for the portion, but with something like Yak being offered, can you really complain?
From there, things did go a bit downhill in the value department. While I wasn’t disappointed by the $ 3 Garlic Na’an,
the Lamb Vindaloo consisted of only a few chunks of lamb. At $ 10, this was a real disappointment:
Overall, if the other options besides the Yak Chili were cheaper or larger I’d understand, but I simply can’t justify a star here after having paid $ 10 for literally four pieces of lamb. No Star Granted.
Stars ¾ — How was the food?
I really feel as this needs to be categorized, so I’m going to separate between the Yak Chili and the Indian-​esk dishes.
Without a doubt, the Yak Chili was absolutely brilliant, and once again Unilocalers have come thru in the clutch in terms of recommendations. Spicy and tender, the Yak went perfectly with the sauce, peppers, and onions, and it was exciting to experience something so out of the ordinary. If you’re coming to Tara’s, there’s absolutely no reason you shouldn’t order this dish.
As for the Na’an and the Lamb Vindaloo? meh. Yes, Himalayan food might differ from Indian food in some ways, but to me this just tasted like mediocre Indian food. The vindaloo wasn’t at all spicy, and seemed to be cooked in what looked like watered down gravy as opposed to the thick vindaloo sauce that I’m used to. While this may just be how Himalayan food is, skip Tara’s if you’re strictly thinking Indian.
One excellent dish, one not-​so-​excellent dish. We’ll call it a Single Star Granted.
Star 5 — Would you eat it every day if you could?
This is an interesting one. First off, if you’re even at all curious about Himalayan food, and specifically Yak Chili, you should absolutely pay Tara’s a visit. That having been said, there are much better options for Indian Cuisine, so if you’re thinking of getting anything besides Yak Chili, look elsewhere. Could I eat Yak Chili everyday? No, but I’m going to grant this star just because of the unmatched uniqueness that I encountered at Tara’s that I strongly feel everyone should try at least once. Star Granted.

I can now cross off eating Himalayan food off my bucket list. But this doesn’t mean it’s my first and last. The food is bomb! Bomb as in full of spices-it’ll-set-your-mouth-on-fire-BOMB! If you’re into spicy food, this is great place to go as they have many dishes that are hot. Additionally, all of the dishes use a plethora of spices so they are never bland.
Ordered:
Himalayan Iced Tea — Very refreshing with a nice addition of spices. It almost tastes like chai tea.
Vegetable Momos (non-​fried) — I was told this is very popular among the customers. It can be ordered fried and non-​fried. It reminded me of vegetable dumplings, but more plump. Again, it was marinated with a spice, and contains lots of garlic!
Chicken Sekewa — I did not taste this, but my bf did. He said it was very flavorful and seasoned very generously with some type of spice. When it was served, it looked very similar to a chicken fajita that one orders from Mexican restaurants since it was served on a sizzling platter. It smelled lovely though!
Okra Sauté — HEAVEN! This is the first restaurant where I have seen okra on their menu. It was not a disappointment. Once again, it was spiced well and bursting with flavors. I love love love this dish!
Potato Naan — Apparently, this particular naan has potato in it. The first couple of bites around the perimeter doesn’t give any inclination that potato is even used. I thought may it was made with potato flour. However, the actual potato pieces are buried toward the center. I’ve had more flavorful naan before, so this didn’t really impress me. Don’t get me wrong, it was edible, but was actually a dull tasting item on their menu.
I can’t wait to try other Himalayan dishes. If you like spiced food, Indian food, Iranian/​Mediterranean food, you may enjoy this restaurant. A lot of the items are very similar to Indian cuisine, and a few items of Iranian/​Mediterranean cuisine such as kababs and aloo.

I bought a groupon because I was curious to see what Himalayan food was all about and it was close to me. I ended up LOVING the food and will be going back again!
I am looking forward to trying other items on the menu. I ordered the chicken tikka and it was perfectly flavored… so so so good!

I had high hopes for this restaurant, but I was slightly disappointed overall.
We ordered the fried chicken momos, which were pretty good, but not as amazing as other Unilocalers raved about.
My friend and I shared the eggplant curry, the house special platter, a roti, and a plain naan. Everything was good, but nothing stood out as outstanding. The house special platter was a mixture of different meats and seasonings with a couple of veggies. I was the most disappointed in this dish because the veggie selection was weak (some broccoli and onion) and the meat were all dry.
For drinks, I ordered a strawberry lassi, which was tasty and not too sweet. This was the best thing we ordered actually. My friend got the chai tea, which is a hot drink. She asked if it could iced, and the server literally dropped a couple of ice cubes into her tea cup.
This restaurant has a large and interesting menu. I’d come back and order different items next time.

3 and ½ stars.
The yak is a wonderful dish. It is spicy tender, flavourful.
The momos are nothing to rave about. It is simple deep fried food.
The naans are different than Indian restaurant naans. They are thicker and not as light.
The owner Tara is extemely friendly and cares about her customers. It is a pleasure to be served by her.
Review to be expended as i try more dishes.

This is exactly the kind of sincere, modest, lovely establishment you root for to succeed, and its discovery is why dining in Los Angeles can be such a joy and celebration of international diversity.
Having trekked the Himalayans myself — an admission that made us a bit of a star with Tara (who hails from Pokhara) — I can only reiterate that the restaurant is authentic, authentic, authentic. We were greeted with such appreciation at the door, and encouraged by a steady stream of returning patrons whom Tara recognized and welcomed.
We’ll definitely be back for the Yak Chili. But for today, it was the excellent, slow-​simmered buffet of fresh nan bread, garlic tofu, savory chicken curry, salad Nepali-​style (lightly sauteed carrots, cucumber and tomato), and the national dish: the tangy daal baht (sp?). Add to that the real McCoy: Chai-​like tea, thick to the tongue and piping hot. (Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that the rock salt grinder on your table is sugar… oops!) Softly breaded custard balls in a thin honey sauce was just the right compliment.
The prices are unbelievable reasonable, but the intangibles — beyond the decorative Buddhist prayer flags and hand-​made copper bowls — exponentialize the experience.
Please tell your friends and support Tara’s.

I have been to both locations and the review is pretty much the same (same pros and cons) for both locations.
Pros– The Chicken Sekewa. This is the main reason for visiting Taras. I have no clue what spices are used, but it is absolutely delicious. Seriously amazing. My boyfriend has tried various things on the menu and always seems pleased. He even liked the lunch buffet. We shared the okra side dish after reading good reviews and did not like it at all. The mango lassi is a great dessert. Big portions all around. The owner is nice, she has stopped by our table to talk to us. Cute set up, especially at the other location.
Cons– Service is bizarre. Everyone is very nice, but they also seem really spacey. Just because you ask something (ie. glass of water) don’t expect to get it. We frequently have to ask for the same thing multiple times. The dishes will not all come out at the same time, even if you order items that are clearly not to be shared. The place is also really slow with service. Give an hour, at least, for lunch. The staff is just laid back and they don’t seem like they have much experience with serving. this is the impression every time and at both locations. Parking is also bad at both.
Side Note– the other location has a liquor license and «Yeti Beer» is on the menu. It is never in stock. I am starting to think that it doesn’t exist and is a joke on the menu.

A cute, small restaurant on Ventura Blvd. (it took the place of Copper Chimney, which was one of my fav Indian restaurants). I went in on a Tuesday night and it was empty. My friend and I started off with the Chicken and Vegetable Momos pan fried and the Nepalese Iced Mint Tea. The momos were good, they were reminiscent of little dumplings and had a good mix of interesting spices. The chicken momos were better than the vegetable. I didn’t like the mushy consistency of the vegetable momo but it had good flavor otherwise.
Our entrees came out and consisted of the Yak Chili, Okra Curry, rice and Chapati. I have never had yak before so decided to try it here. It wasn’t very gamey which I was expecting. However, it was kind of like a softer beef jerkey and had an interesting taste (not bad or really amazing). The sauce was a bit spicy, which I liked and there were plenty of vegetables mixed in. The okra curry was my favorite of the night, but it was not as saucy as a typical curry would be. The okra was cooked well and had some nice flavors.
Service was terribly slow for being the only customers at the restaurant. Food was decent, but nothing crave worthy.

«You pick.» «No, you pick!»
After reading about two pages of reviews for this restaurant, we chose this place. My boyfriend and I ordered samosas, the Kukhura Ko Tarkari, Saag Aloo, and garlic naan. The service was very lovely, so for that I give them an extra star. Obviously, this is not Indian food but VERY similar, so don’t get confused like I did, the spices are quite different.
The «boneless» Kukhura Ko Tarkari (chickee) was despicable and very meat broth-​y tasting and extremely spicy when we had asked for medium. Rocky and I both took one bite of the entrée and set it aside. The rice was somewhat slimy (i didn’t know that was possible) and the naan was hard and tasteless. As for the Saag Aloo, ummm no thanks. Too earthy and lacked flavor. I had to put S&P on everything :(Oh, must I not forget the samosas. They weren’t good either! Not like your typical plush and flaky samosa, these were like store bought frozen dough samosas. The only thing that was fulfilling and tasty was the mango lassi, which, let’s face it, isn’t hard to conquer.
After we left, we saw a line of cars on the street for In-​n-​Out. Shoulda coulda woulda…
oh! the website pics they have look NOTHING like the restaurant for the Woodland Hills location. Very strange…

The best Nepalese/​Himalayan Cuisine restaurant in town.
The Chicken Momos are a must! Juicy, spicy, scrumptious, amazing.
I’ve been here numerous times and I still can’t get enough of this place. Every time I come here I order something new, as the menu has a lot of delicious items to offer. Did I mention Chicken Momos. Definitely start with that, and make sure to dip them in the tomato achaar.
After you are done munching on the momos, let your imagination wonder and order anything your heart desires. The Chow Chow Chicken Noodles are delicious. There are so many flavors on one plate. Its difficult to grasp its essence in just one bite. Must eat more!
The Chicken Vindaloo. Also, a great choice. If you like spicy, this is all yours. The Kukhura Ko Tarkari is boneless chicken curry inundated in tomato and himalyan spices. Its very tomato-​y and spicy. All you tomato lovers this is your dish. The rice and garlic naan are great complements to the entrées, and before you know it, you will be stuffed like a jar of pickles.
End the night off with Momos. YES! You can’t get enough of them. Tara is very nice and she is very open in explaining everything in the menu. The prices are reasonable, and the ambiance is great. Himalayan music and photographs surround the place. The lunch buffet is $ 8.99 and everything is just 5 stars.
I can’t wait to come back here. AH-​MAY-​ZING. Thank you Tara, hope other Unilocalers find your place as awesome and delicious as I do.

Finally tried it after driving by it over and over on Ventura… and loved it! Comfy vibe. It was similar to the Indian food I usually have, but with a twist.
We did the buffet ($ 8.99) and everything was good, but I was particularly impressed by the heavenly potatoes and the daal. I ordered the veggie momos to go and they turned out to be very light and tasty. Definitely have to go back and try everything else on the menu.

This place is awesome. I’ve eaten at Tara’s Himalayan down on Venice near Overland & Sepulveda, but I’m thrilled that they’ve opened up a restaurant in the SFV! The Momo’s are to die for, either the chicken or the veggie; the dipping sauce is like nothing I’ve ever tasted.
The House Special Eggplant (with sweet tomato chutney & a touch of yogurt) is my mother-in-law’s favorite, while I can’t get enough of the Chow-​Chow Chicken Noodles — so savory, with just enough spice to make it interesting.
If you tend to order chicken korma, skip that entrée and try the Makhani Chicken instead. The korma is traditional Indian, while the Makhani is the more inventive, Himalayan/​Nepali version. And please try the garlic tofu; even my kids adore it.
And the miracle is that it’s all lighter than Indian food; it’s like the best of all worlds. It’s so reasonably priced, I could eat here five times a week, so thank God they’ve opened up closer to my area, with the same chef and same menu. Absolutely unique, a lighter version of traditional Indian food, but even more flavorful and well-​priced.
Yippee-​ki-​yay, Himalaya! This is like dying and going to food-​heaven.

I first discovered Tara’s Culver City location when my co-​workers took me there. I was greeted at the door by Tara and she told me she loved my hat. That’s the way she is, friendly and warm, with a truly sunny smile. The food was out of this world and I wished that they were located closer to me in the Valley. Well, my wish came true, as they are now in Woodland hills also!
When my wife and I arrived at the Woodland Hills location this evening, Tara again was on hand to greet us. She thanked us for coming and had us seated immediately.
We ordered the Samosas (best I ever had anywhere), Yak Chilli (savory, fork tender, and addicting as crack) Vegetable Korma (wondrously creamy), and Okra Curry, which is a food I now crave almost daily. Top it off with a crispy garlic Naan and and an incredibly soothing Himalayan Hot Tea and this meal would be worthy to be my last meal on Death Row. My only regret is I never have enough room for dessert. I always say I’ll make room for dessert, but I never do… LOL
This has become my favorite restaurant in L.A. It’s like eating with my family. A comfort food haven from the daily grind.

First discovered Tara’s in Culver City earlier this year. LOVE it. If you like Indian food, this will remind you of it at times, and at others it will be quite different. Overall, it is lighter and the flavors are different. Even the Chicken korma has a slightly different flavor to it. I can’t tell you what it is, but I love it. The Chicken Sekuwa is out of this world, and my girlfriend is thoroughly addicted. I get it – it’s delish!
I would give Tara’s 4.5 stars, as there is only really one thing that irks me about it, but that’s not possible on Unilocal.My experiences in the Culver City location have shown me that the service is a little slow and forgetful. This is not a big deal, because when you remind them to bring something they forgot, they are apologetic. Happened every time I have been there. I found that dinner took a while to arrive at the Woodland Hills location (20+ min), but it was worth it – everything was fantastic. Bring a little patience with you and you will be rewarded with very good eats.
*To the 1-​star reviewer: dude, this is *not* Indian food. …What’s the name of the place? That’s right. It is different from Indian cuisine, although the dishes have similar or identical names, because it is NOT Indian cuisine. No Indian restaurant I know of serves Yeti Beer. Ha.
Himalayan food seems to be more flavorful than Indian food, and that’s saying something. It is also apparently lighter and healthier (sure seems a lot less oily), or at least it seems like it (that’s what the owner says too). There are flavors used here that you cannot find on any Indian menu, and I LOVE Indian food. I’ve been to all the decent Indian places in the Valley (Taste of India is my favorite).
Go, relax and enjoy. And don’t forget the Mango lassi! A better value than anything at Starbucks at $ 2.99, I might just stop by for one during the afternoon sometime. Oh, and yes, you can get that in Indian restaurants too, and yes, Tara’s tastes pretty much the same. ;o)

If I could describe Tara’s in one word, it would be: Heaven!
There has always been something about Indian food that didn’t sit well with me. Either the taste were too bitter or too much tomato in the Masala sauce. At Tara’s I found what I had been missing in my search for good Indian/​himalayan food, sweet onion based sauces!
The chicken masala sauce at Tara’s is to die for! In fact, I like it so much that I order a side of just the sauce to dip my Naan in. My other must haves consist of the Saag Paneer, which has a hint of cinnamon and spice and the Garlic Tofu! I’m not a huge tofu fan either, but this is finally crafted to perfection. The Yak Chili, which is a cousin to the buffalo is absolutely wonderful, tangy, spicy and an explosion of flavor.
The chicken sekuwa is also great! Oh, and let me not fail to mention the lentil soup! It’s warm, it’s hearty, and it feels like Christmas.
The best thing about Tara’s Himalayan food is Tara herself. Tara is like a mom to me when ever I come in. She gives me a hug, treats me like a princess and even offered to go get me a bottle of Pinot noir just because she knew I liked it.
You can imagine the joy I felt when Tara’s opened up in Woodland Hills. I urge anyone who loves good food, great flavor and wonderful service to go.

Hmmm hard to decide between 3 and 4 stars. If I could give 3.5 I would.
Pros:
10% of their profits go to help children in Nepal.
Vegetable momos were light and I loved the tomato coulis it was served with.
Nepalese mint iced tea was nice.
Cons:
They forgot to bring the naan, but charged me for it (until I let her know I never got it)
The food just wasn’t anything that made me say WOW.
Service was painfully slow, especially since they weren’t even busy.

You know I went here thinking I would have no where but to go down with my review because alot of well rated restaurants come out bad but this was not one of those experiences for me.
The Atmosphere was nice. Very Friendly. They had great tasting tea. Tasted and Felt very herbal and relaxed. Staff was very friendly. They served Yak which is a very unique thing for me. Their dumplings were called momos or something but tasted great too. We even sampled their deserts which was made of a mango pudding with rice kinda thing.
Their spices kicked well for me too.
Finally prices were not too bad at all. Thing were around $ 7.99 or $ 8.99 or so.

After reading the rave review in the LA Times on Thursday (9÷23÷10) we had to give it a go, so we decided to order takeout tonight.
We ordered the Yak Chilli (that’s how it is spelled on the menu), Chicken Sekawa, one order of Keema Naan (Naan stuffed with ground lamb) and a mango lassi. The food was uniformly outstanding as was the lassi (these folks know how to make a good lassi, unlike many Indian restaurants).
The yak (my first time I ever had yak) was incredibly good with a sauce that was a perfect blend of exotic herbs and spices complemented by a mixture of vegetables that were crisp and fresh (not steam table soggy).
The chicken dish had no sauce and looked like it would be disappointing when we opened the container. WRONG. It had been marinating a long while in a perfect blend of herbs and spices and was just wonderful.
Quantities were sufficient to have a second meal. The staff with whom I interacted were super friendly and genuine and really made me want to come back and enjoy the folks and to learn more about Himalayan cuisine.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This was the first time I tried this restaurant after waiting a long time.
I was really impressed with their varied menu. The service was excellent and very friendly. Highly recommended!!!

Tremendous food and service!
As we sat down, the owner Shelley gave us the story behind the restaurant and the menu options. We even found out that her daughter in law is named Tara, but the restaurant is named after the Goddess «Tara.» :)
We split two appetizers — the veggie samosas and steamed veggie and chicken dumplings. (You can also get them pan fried) They had a really tasty, light dipping sauce for the dumplings.
We ordered lamb stuffed naan. I loved it, totally different than anything I’ve ever had.
For our main courses, Jenny got the combo-​plate with Saag Paneer w/​lentil soup. I got grilled chicken with broccoli and onions, served on a sizzlin’ fajita-​like plate. (Extra spicy)
Without exception, all of the food was excellent– even their home made iced-​tea. I’m never been to a Himalayan restaurant before, and I didn’t know what to expect. I would say its very similar to Indian food but there are some differences. If you like Indian food, I would say you will like Himalayan. Definitely, try this place! They have another location in Venice as well.