Kathmandu Kitchen and Grill - Clarkston Decatur Atlanta Georgia

You can find Kathmandu Kitchen & Grill at 926 Montreal Rd, Clarkston, GA 30021 in small shopping center anchored by the Clarkston Thriftown, just south of where Montreal spits off and turns into N. Indian Creek. Parking is on the lot out front.

I found Kathmandu quite by accident while in the area - which is admittedly a bit sketchy with people standing around for no apparent reason in a bit of a rundown area of Clarkston (which seems to have a few areas like that - I used to live across I285 at Venetian Estates off of Ponce so am very familiar with the area). Clarkston is a rather interesting area with local politicians that have some very liberal views (not a bad thing) - it also has a great mix of ethnic refugees that makes it very diverse and international. With that comes cuisine that you won't find in very many areas.

Katmandu is a smallish restaurant with only a few tables. There's a bar at one end with beer and wine options and a stage near the entrance that I don't know much about - the appear to host live music, probably in the evenings or weekends. I thought the place quaint if a little dark - I came by late in the afternoon to check out the buffet. The buffet was small but had some great options.

Kathmandu is a fine example of Nepalese cuisine - sort of a cross between Indian, Chinese and Indonesian. Many of the flavors will seem very Indian but you'll also find dumpling (momos) and noodle options you don't typically see in Indian or Pakistani food. I find it most similar to Bangladeshi food (like Purnima, Panahar and Himalayan Spice) with naan breads that are a bit puffier/doughy around the edges. I tried pretty much everything on the buffet - I thought the flavors very distinctive and most excellent. My biggest objection to most Indian style buffets is that the food seems very weakly spiced, I guess to appeal to the masses. Her the food is very on-point. I think it's better than the buffet offered Himalayan Spice, Himalayas or Panahar. Overall I thought the food excellent.

There was only one person behind the counter and she was very nice. Next time I'll explore more of the menu - but if you're in the area and you want something different, Kathmandu is a great option.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)
 

Purnima Bangladeshi Cuisine - Buford Hwy - Chamblee Georgia

You can find Purnima Bangladeshi Cuisine at 4646 Buford Highway, Chamblee, GA 30341 due east of Peachtree Dekalb Airport in a small strip-mall along Buford Hwy that also features Pho 24. Parking is in the lot out front but be forewarned that at busy times it's very limited - the parking lot can also be difficult to navigate out of if there isn't any parking available.

I was quite excited to try Purnima after viewing some of the raving reviews from some of my friends on Yelp. The first time I was meeting my wife there and she did not get a good impression - I'm not exactly sure what happened but I think she didn't feel very welcome there - combine that with the folding tables under the tablecloths and she became uneasy feeling the place was a bit sketchy, so we went elsewhere.  Maybe it was a cultural reaction? I don't know. Still wanting to try it I came by myself for a late lunch one weekend when she was out of town.

The exterior facade has "Purnima Bangladeshi Restaurant" on a back-lit sign with a glass front - the place is fairly small but there are a few chairs right outside the door in case there's a wait for seating. The interior is painted a dark red with banquets and tables covered in dark red tablecloths. There's a mix of Ikea lighting and traditional chandeliers (probably from the previous tenant) as well as some southeastern-Asian accents, with a small flat-panel TV on the back wall.

The menu is four pages and features many of the same items that you would find in an Indian restaurant with a few standouts. There are additional meat options that you're more likely to see in a Pakistani restaurant, along with dishes more Nepalese. If all this sounds like "Indian" - think of this as an Indian restaurant that also serves meat - Bangladesh is mostly Muslim so culturally they don't carry the restrictions on beef. I've had some experience eating Bangladeshi food at the nearby and venerable Panahar to the south at Northeast Plaza.

I notice that Purnima is the Indo-Nepalese word for "Full Moon" so add that to your cultural reference. I decided that for my first visit I would try one of my favorite dishes, the chicken Vindaloo - this is a dish traditionally made by marinating meet (chicken, lamb or goat) in palm vinegar, sugar, ginger, red chilies and fresh spices overnight. The vinegar gives it a bit of twang, ups the impact of the chilies and breaks down the connective tissues int he meat, making it more tender. I've found the dish is made differently everywhere you go so I'm always looking for a good version - it's sort of my measuring stick. The dish came with an order of rice and I asked if they made chili or bullet naan - this is one of those things that you don't often see on the menu and if you like spicy food you're definitely missing out. It's basically break baked with green chilies and quite spicy.

The food came to the table in just a few minutes and the smells were divine. The Vindaloo was quite good, probably in my top 10 - I did ask for it "hot" and it delivered. Nicely piquant with quite strong southern (Indian) flavors. The naan, which seems typical of the Nepalese and Bangladeshi restaurants I've visited, was thin in the center and spongy/bready towards the edges. It's a bit different experience from your typical Indian naan - this one was full of chopped green chilies and wonderful. Overall the food was quite good and I would recommend Purnima to anyone wanting to experience "Indian-like" (in a good way) food.

For the service, I felt that everyone was a bit distracted and that I was ignored a bit - I guess I expect that some because I was by myself. It did make me think of my wife's earlier experience - the owner/manager spent the whole time on the phone, interrupting himself to take my order with the phone cupped in one hand. A bit weird - but still due to the food I still rate this 4/5 stars.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)

 

Himalayan Spice - Clairmont Road - Atlanta Georgia

You can find Himalayan Spice at 2773 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 very near the Clairmont Rd Exit from I85. It's about in the middle of the Williamsburg Village shopping center that features several restaurants like the very good Desta Ethiopian. Parking is in the lots out front and to the sides. Himalayan Spice is a bit difficult to see until your in the parking lot except at night, where the red neon facade is blazing and can be seen from the street.

I've now visited Himalayan Spice a couple of times, both during the lunch buffet - I came here on recommendation by several friends including neighbors (as their favorite "Indian") - I'm also somewhat familiar with Nepalese food. If you aren't then it will taste the most like Indian food to you, especially Indian food from the north and east of that country. In general I've found the flavors to be slightly sweeter and a bit saucier, but still containing many of the same elements - turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamon, and chili with a smattering of other spices. If you like Indian food you will like the flavors of Nepal. The naans seem a bit spongier along the edges (more like Bangladeshi style) and you'll find some unusual items like momos (steamed dumplings) and pasta dishes you don't typically see at Indian restaurants.

The interior of Himalayan Spice introduces you to that region, first through stone-work in the foyer then via the interior decoration. For lunch there's a row of steam and chilling tables along one side and a counter where you are greeted and will take your check at the end. Himalayan Spice also will offer up a discount if you "like" them on Facebook - I love those types of easy promotions.

Both times I've visited the buffet consisted of what I think of as a "regular" assortment of meat (chicken and goat) and vegetarian dishes. The curries seemed overly saucy to me but they were still rich in "creaminess" but in general the spice level was very neutral, I'm guessing to make the food more palatable to most Americans. I've eaten at three different Nepalese restaurants now and Himalayan Spice ranks as the least spicy. Himalayas on Peachtree Industrial was slightly more spicy but really more Indian I think than Himalayan; while Kathmandu in Clarkston seemed the most spicy and perhaps the most authentic? I'm not sure if I have enough context but Kathmandu tasted the best of the three as the flavors were more distinctive (it is a smaller buffet though so less options).

With everything above being said, I feel like the restaurant is good in a kind of average way. I wouldn't say no to meeting friends here as the service was quite good (but I did come during the buffet) but in general if I was looking for Indian or Indian-like food there are better options nearby. I hope to eat here for dinner at some point as I'd like to try more of the Nepalese options and also see if the spice levels are pumped up.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)