Himalayan Taste

As we’ve mentioned in articles covering Himalayan restaurants in Orange County, there are differences between places that call themselves and actually are Himalayan, restaurants that call themselves Indian but actually have Himalayan food, and ones that call themselves Himalayan but are really almost entirely Indian. Himalayan Taste falls into the latter category, offering a menu that’s nearly identical to ones found in any Indian or Pakistani-Indian restaurant.

The good news: the Indian and Pakistani dishes here are quite good, and occasionally locally uncommon. Baingan chicken ($17), a metal bowl with tender boneless chicken, stewed eggplant (baingan), ginger, and garlic, was 85% meat and eggplant rather than sauce – not always the case at Indian restaurants – and absolutely delicious from first to last bite, just a hint spicy when ordered “medium.” Peshawari kulcha ($6), a raisin, nut, coconut, and fennel-stuffed naan from Pakistan, was one of the best we’ve had locally: sweet, loaded with ingredients, and complex in both flavors and textures.

On the other hand, if the name lured you here to try what’s distinctive about Nepalese cuisine, you may be disappointed. Himalayan Taste’s handful of Himalayan items notably start with momo dumplings ($7 to $8) and end with chicken or lamb choila ($9 to $11), unless you count a few Indian dishes that note their inclusion of Himalayan spices.