Description
Rashmi Bhattachan knows momos, the Himalayan steamed dumplings that she sold for several years at the Mill City Farmers Market. And she offers the pert, handmade buns at her new restaurant, Gorkha Palace, still sealed with a twist to look like a squashed soft-serve swirl. The momos are typically filled with scallions and spiced meats-try the yak, which is delicious, and not too different from ground beef. Bhattachan launched her restaurant in the former home of Mairin's Table in partnership with Sarala Kattel, who formerly cooked at the Himalayan restaurant on Franklin Avenue. The restaurant is on a tucked-away block between Surdyk's and Ground Zero, but its small dining room has a welcoming feel, its walls and banquette upholstery awash in the warm, earthy tones of chiles, turmeric, and garam masala. The two Nepali women are offering a seasonally changing menu of mostly Nepali and Indian dishes with a few Tibetan items in the mix. The more common dishes are as good as any. Tandoor-baked chicken sekuwa is tender, smoky, and expertly seasoned. Curries such as the machha, or tilapia, version are subtly but richly seasoned. Gorkha serves a stew with locally raised goat, in lieu of beef, that challenges the meat's unpleasantly gamey, greasy reputation--it tastes rather like pork or lamb. Also worth noting: Gorkha is one of the few ethnic restaurants in town to emphasize sustainable business practices by purchasing local meats and dairy and operating a composting program.
