Bhutan Meets Bell Road at Everest Restaurant and Bar | Features

For dinner in Antioch, the choices are seemingly limitless: pizza and beer at Slim & Husky’s; Laotian and Thai classics on the legendary King Market; garnachas and tamales at Antigua Cocina Guatemalteca. However on Antioch’s southwest facet, Everest Restaurant and Bar is about on taking one of many world’s unsung cuisines to the subsequent dimension. 

The truth that Himalayan delicacies shouldn’t be thought-about one of many nice culinary traditions is an explainable tragedy. Himalayan, by definition, doesn’t discuss with a selected nation, as with Italian or French delicacies. Nor does it discuss with a hyper-local regional delicacies, à la Cajun or Cantonese. The Himalayas themselves are in fact a geographic characteristic, dividing greater than they hyperlink the disparate mountain nations that decision the area dwelling. So whereas similarities are sturdy, it’s unsurprising that the “cousins, not siblings” cuisines of Asia’s most uncompromising area are sometimes drowned out by extra distinguished fare, like Indian and American Chinese language. Everest rises to the problem, nevertheless, placing Nepal, Bhutan and Northern India on a plate (or thali) with aplomb.

When getting into Everest, you’re handled to a pristine inside, full with a mirrored bar and a stage whose performances I’ve to this point sadly missed. The true deal with begins if you’re offered with the menu, a sprawling beast that at the beginning look reveals an Indian affect, all curries and korma and chaat, earlier than Nepalese staples work their means into the image (assume noodle soups and aromatic roasted meats). Bhutanese dishes, coming straight from the world’s happiest and most distant mountain kingdom, are a welcome closing shock, and the beverage menu affords a variety of how that can assist you digest what you’ve devoured. In case you’ve introduced associates (or an enormous urge for food), you possibly can strive all of them. 

First up is Northern India, and whereas we might go along with classics like rooster curry, samosas or aloo gobi, Everest’s lamb thali is the perfect merchandise on provide, bringing a gauntlet of flavors to the desk. Thali — or a choice of small dishes served with rice on a conventional plate — could be present in each area of India, from tangy eggplant curries in Maharashtra to fiery shrimp vindaloos in Goa. At Everest, anticipate a daring lamb gravy with out the gaminess of lesser curries, together with peppery dal (lentil stew), fried potatoes and veggies, varied pickles and relishes, and gulab jamun, or doughnut in candy syrup.

If lamb or mutton shouldn’t be your bag, no worries. Hen and pork thalis are additionally obtainable, together with Anglo-Indian staples like butter rooster and rooster tikka masala. However with the standard of conventional Indian meals nearer to downtown, why play it secure with extra frequent fare?

Subsequent up is Nepal, dwelling to Mount Everest and the centerpiece of the entire Himalayan enterprise. You’ll instantly discover a heavy Chinese language affect on the Nepalese part of the menu. Chinese language vacationers are usually not unusual in Nepal — the mountain nation welcomed nearly 200,000 Chinese language guests in 2019 — and dishes like chow mein and vegetable fried rice are ubiquitous in Nepalese delicacies. Whereas these are worthwhile choices for newbies, Everest maintains a wide range of extra conventional dishes on the menu. As an appetizer, go for the chili rooster momo, a dumpling with the form of a potsticker, the thickness and bounce of a baozi, and a style not like anything in Nashville. Whereas you will get the momos deep-fried, steamed or dunked in an fragrant broth, the chili model sees them pan-fried with sizzling peppers and onions on a fajita skillet. It’s fairly good. 

For an entrée, the rooster thukpa will do. Whereas that is the quintessential Himalayan dish, India and Tibet additionally lay declare to this hearty noodle soup — however the Nepalese model at Everest is perhaps the perfect of the bunch. It’s nothing in need of consolation in a bowl, with chilis, herbs and a wealthy bone broth complimenting starchy noodles with an exquisite chew. It is perhaps melodramatic to say this dish transports you to a distant Himalayan village, however what’s life with out creativeness?

Final comes Bhutan, which represents the culinary completionist’s dream. Who can say they’ve sampled Bhutanese meals? Well-known for its sky-high peace index and a troublesome airport state of affairs, Bhutan shouldn’t be the wonderland that its Indian and Chinese language neighbors are on the subject of meals. However Bhutanese meals is nothing if not high quality; it’s a delicacies hell-bent on getting the small stuff proper. 

Working example: kewa datshi, a hearty dish of potatoes, asparagus and chili stewed with recent cheese and a boatload of salted butter. It isn’t all that spicy, and the vegetarian side retains the canvas for taste comparatively plain. However it works fabulously when, on paper, it completely shouldn’t. It’s unctious, salty, fatty; a hearty dish that wouldn’t be misplaced on a long-haul cargo ship or a Grand Canyon mule prepare. And it does all of it with none meat and at a comparatively low value level. It is perhaps Antioch’s most obscure dish, nevertheless it’s additionally probably the most satisfying. Wash all of it down with a cup of candy Nepali milk tea.

This isn’t all to say that Everest is an ideal restaurant. It’s not cheap — $20 for the thali is a bit excessive for the portion sizes. You would name the dim inside charming, maybe, however definitely not flashy. Simply down Bell Street a half-mile, the briefly shuttered Rajdhani Grocery and Cafe does curries and Chinese language stuff considerably higher. (The grocery a part of Rajdhani remains to be open.) However Everest’s melding of cuisines makes it an effective way to spend a lazy Antioch night. Whereas Rajdhani lays declare to Indian, Chinese language and Nepalese cuisines, Everest is really Himalayan. 

In case you’re heading again north, cease at Central Kirana Retailer, a small Nepalese grocery close to the nook of Nolensville and Haywood Lane. It’s packed to the gills with foodstuffs and novelties, and it’s unimaginable to go away with out discovering one thing value taking dwelling. However even with no go to to Kirana, you possibly can nonetheless make a date at one in all South Nashville’s really distinctive eateries.