By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer
The fact that I ended up in Himalayan Spice Indian Cuisine was a total accident. My sister had just helped me move in for the spring, so we headed down Tennyson Street for brunch at the Denver Biscuit Company. It's a delicious restaurant, but given its promotion on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, everyone knows that. Thus, we chose to dodge the hour-long wait and give the little restaurant two doors over a shot. And I am glad we did. While Denver Biscuit Company may be popular, Himalayan Spice is a hidden gem.
The environment is warm and welcoming, with attentive wait staff and quick service. And the food? I will not go into a discussion about Regis’s cafeteria (that is a dissertation for another time), but I am often left feeling the need for authentically good, well-rounded cooking, and I know that I am not alone in that. The good news is that the solution is just a five-minute drive down Tennyson Street. The menu is packed with different traditional Indian dishes, all bursting with warmth and flavor. The restaurant also boasts a large vegetarian/vegan menu with gluten free options, so it is the perfect destination for groups with a variety of dietary needs. Additionally, they have spice levels indicated on the menu so you don’t find yourself with an under-spiced or inedibly spicy dish given your tastes. They operate on a 1 to 5 spice level: 1 being mild, 2 being medium, 3 being medium-hot, 4 being hot, and 5 being Indian hot. I, as a slightly-but-not-terribly pathetic white person, prefer medium hot for my curry, whereas Vietnamese Staff Writer Sandra Vo prefers hot.
Regardless of where you’re at, there is a delicious, well-priced option for you at Himalayan Spice. You can choose from a variety of proteins, from lamb to chicken to seafood, to be prepared in many ways, from curry to dahl and sagg to masala. Regardless of what you prefer, there are also a plethora of delicious flavors of naan, a traditional Indian flat bread, to choose from, and you will receive bottomless basmati rice with your meal. The one thing to keep in mind during your visit is that you will spend just as long waiting for the check as you will enjoying your meal. Chances are you could reduce this wait time by flagging down the waiter if you so choose, or (if you are non-confrontational like myself) the time can be well spent digesting your meal over conversations with friends and family. If you are looking to try something new or simply spice up your college diet, Himalayan Spice is the place to go.
Photo by: Sandra Vo, Butter Naan
Photo by: Sandra Vo, Chicken Curry