36. Nepal: Mt. Everest Restaurant

Mt. Everest Restaurant
469 Bloor Street West
(between Bathurst & Spadina)
416 964 8849

The decor is a mixture of east and west with comfortable wooden tables and chairs and a typical bar against one wall. Interesting marionettes and large, original oil-paintings of Himalayan landscapes add eastern flavour.
The $8.95 Saturday lunch buffet is bringing in a steady stream of customers of a mixed demographic. There are plenty of vegetarian choices on the buffet for salad, main course and dessert. From the buffet, hubby chooses tandoori chicken, basmati rice, salad, mango chutney, raita, with fresh fruit for dessert. My veggie friend goes to the buffet too enjoys the cucumber salad, Indian fries & veggie entrees finishing with rice pudding & gulab jamun (golden fried balls of powder milk soaked in sweet saffron syrup,served warm).
I order from the menu and choose a traditional Nepalese entree - aloo tama bodi: Potatoes, bamboo shoots, black eye beans cooked with mountain spices, $10.29 [pictured here], naan, $2.29 and follow it with a dessert of ras malai - cottage cheese patty in a sweet milky sauce flavored with saffron and rose water, $4.49, and masala tea $2.49. The buffet is definitely the better value for money but I wanted to try things from the Nepalese rather than north Indian side of the menu and was not disappointed.
Total for three lunches $42.34 plus tip.

Rating: Ambiance (3)
Service (3)
Food Presentation (3)
Food Quality (3)
Value for Money (4)