by Bill Beeson
Himalayan fusion in Patton Place off Linglestown Road – 2308 Patton Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Web: www.himalayanfusiononline.com Phone: 717-412-4907
Hours: Tu-Th 11A-2:30P/ 4P-9P; Fr 11A-2:30P / 4P-10P; Sa: 11:30A-3P/4P-10P Su:11:30A-3P/ 4PM-9P. Lunch buffet daily during regular hours.
A new international cuisine venue with friendly and attentive service, reasonable pricing, and great food just emerged on the East Shore! Offering Indian and Nepalese dishes, Himalayan fusion opened two weeks ago. Seeing the signs for this specialty restaurant “coming soon”, we drove by almost daily until finally, on a Tuesday, we heard from a neighbor – “It’s open, and food’s great!” The first Friday evening, we were there! We found it delightful. Vegetables were exceptionally fresh and crisp; nothing exhibited the soggy texture of food prepared and held in the kitchen. My entrée took a bit longer than others’ but these short minutes were worth the wait, as we quickly realized upon presentation, that the dumplings were being prepared to order on site, real time.
The traditional samosas (no nuts) were delicious, as were the Chili Mo-Mo (beware if you don’t well-tolerate hot peppers). The garlic naan was light, airy, and well… perfect – not over garlicky. The bhagan bharta (slow cooked eggplant) and shrimp pakora (made with chick pea flour) were favorably reviewed by their consumer. The mango chicken ordered by another was also rated thumbs up. Our spicier dishes paired well with a 2008 Allegro Cadenza (Bordeaux style blend) and the lighter dishes nicely with a 2016 Fabre Rosé from Provence. Riesling would also be a good varietal to grab on your way to dinner here. Wine glasses available if you forget to pack your Riedel.
This establishment seems VERY allergy-aware and careful – menu items are coded (V) vegan; (N) contains nuts; and (GF) gluten free – very much appreciated by our team! There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly entrees. Any dish can be prepared to your preferred level of heat as well. We plan to catch Sunday brunch there at our next opportunity!