Du Jour: Bhawan Thapa, The Himalayas Restaurant

When he opened The Himalayas Restaurant seven years ago, Bhawan Thapa figured the fare from his native India and from his parent’s home country of Nepal would dovetail well with Baton Rouge palates. It has worked. The dishes Thapa and his family confect six days a week are defined by well-placed spices and homey, simple preparation techniques. It’s a safe bet that The Himalayas is the only place in town you’ll score Nepali street food like savory, fun-to-eat dumplings. Prepared with veggies or ground chicken bundled in fresh dough, the fried version, kothe, is sautéed until crisp on the bottom. A steamed version, momo, is lighter and softer. Thapa’s substantial line-up also includes Nepalese chhwela, grilled chicken or lamb chunks grilled, then tossed with lime, cilantro, fresh jalapeno and garlic, and lots more. To get the whole story on this chef’s unique take on Nepalese nosh, read this week’s Du Jour by clicking here.—Maggie Heyn RichardsonTo read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.