Along MacPherson Road in Paya Lebar, feel the heat from the Everest Kitchen by dipping into its authentically spice-heavy Nepalese and North Indian cuisine. From its spice-ladened curries to friendly Nepalese staff to its simple decor, the cozy eatery serves up a great deal.
THE FOOD:
Everest Kitchen is a no-frills eatery that survives largely because of the value-for-money homely meals it serves. This is a truly authentic Nepalese and North Indian eatery with three local chefs, opened by Nepalese restauranteur Mr Dan Shahi. The menu is a good mix of Nepalese and North Indian staples such as curries, naan, coloured rice and many others. Customers are served complimentary iced water and papadum with a nice mint yoghurt dip promptly.
Two hot favourites - some literally hot - are the Kukhura makhani (tender pieces of butter chicken simmered in smooth creamy gravy, $8) and the Chicken Tikka Masala (thick and favourful gravy with bite-sized pieces of chicken, potatoes and spice, $8). Order a plate of plain white rice to go along with the gravy-based dishes. Or better, skip the rice and go for the garlic naan. The simple art of a dough is hard to perfect but Everest Kitchen does it well with a nice consistency. There is a wide variety from plain garlic to marsala (stuffed potatoes) to naan with dried fruit and nuts.
Not to be missed is also Everest Kitchen's momos (traditional Himalayan dumplings with minced chicken and onion fillings, $6 per serving of eight) accompanied by a tangy chilli-curry dip. They come both steamed or fried though the fried version seemed a more popular choice when we were there. Nonetheless, ask nicely and the friendly staff will oblige to a request for a sampling of both, steamed and fried.
Mustang Coffee ($4) is a must. The fragrant coffee wickedly spiked with Nepalese alcohol woke us up after a satisfying - and sleep inducing - meal. But end it off on a sweet note with gulab jamun ($4), a popular North Indian dessert made up of flour balls with milk and ghee and doused in sickeningly sweet syrup. Just one to share among four would be sufficient.
THE MOOD:
Seven-year-old Everest Kitchen is located along MacPherson Road in Paya Lebar and would be easily missed if not for the interesting crowd it attracts in and out of its glass doors. Most of its customers are foreigners, if not Nepalese, who treat the hidden gem of a restaurant like their personal canteen.
Customers embrace the smell of curry as soon as they step into the eatery which also warns first-timers of authentic and wholesome but spicy Nepalese and North Indian cuisine ahead. The no-frills, unpretentious eatery is simply decorated with wall paintings and, as its name suggests, posters of Mount Everest pinned up all around to create a laidback atmosphere.
What's more, the Nepalese staff spoke good English and refills iced water at remarkable speed - with a smile.
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