New Nepali restaurant owned by MSUM alumni in Moorhead opens to rave reviews
MOORHEAD – Everest Tikka House has already garnered 49 reviews and an overall rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on its Facebook page since opening less than a month ago. Comments about the restaurant serving Nepali and Indian cuisine include praise for both the food and service.
Moorhead Mayor Del Rae Williams is among the restaurant’s fans and admits she’s been there six times since it opened May 14. She said their food is comparable to, if not better than, a popular Nepali-Indian restaurant she regularly visits in the Twin Cities.
“We always get the momos there, but frankly, I like the momos here even better. … When described as a dumpling they sound so basic, but the spices and the meat inside, that’s what makes it,” Williams said.
The restaurant is owned by Saru Pokharel and managed by her former Minnesota State University Moorhead classmate Ben Dangi. Both are originally from Nepal and met at MSUM.
They decided to open the restaurant in order to provide the area a different take on Nepali and Indian cuisine.
“There are only two Indian restaurants in town so far and they both have a similar taste, I would say. We wanted to do something different,” Pokharel said.
For example, she described their naan as tasting a bit sweeter than naan served at other restaurants. They serve 15 different versions of the flatbread.
“We’ve had a lot of good feedback saying our naan is really good,” she said. “I’ve heard someone say, ‘Your naan is ‘da bomb.’ ”
Also popular has been the momo, which Pokharel said can be served with either a meat or vegan filling.
Overall, she said their goal is to provide healthy, fresh Nepali and Indian cuisine.
“We try to provide healthy, fresh, well-cooked food. A lot of the comments we’ve received are about how fresh the food tastes, which has been really good,” she said.
Danji is grateful for the good response they’ve received from the community.
“The Moorhead people have been so supportive, from the mayor to the city people to the mall. The mall has been great to work with,” he said.
Business profile
What: Everest Tikka House
Where: Former home of Godfather’s Pizza in the Moorhead Center Mall
Hours: A lunch buffet is available daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and casual fine dining is served from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Online: Search “Everest Tikka House” on Facebook