Salt Lake City: Livability in the 21st Century

A casual dining restaurant in the heart of downtown Salt Lake
City, Himalayan Kitchen transports customers into the heart
of Nepal, incorporating Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan cuisines.
Everyone at HK believes the keys to winning a customer’s
heart are excellent food and a warm, friendly environment.
“We use local—and when possible, organic—products
and authentic spices from Nepal,” says Surya Bastakoti, who
learned to cook simple dishes from his mother and is the
man behind the restaurant’s success. “Every dish is made
from scratch by our kitchen staff. By 11 a.m., passersbys
can enjoy mouth-watering aromas and hear the familiar
chopping sounds of a true kitchen.”
HK’s most famous dishes include Himalayan Momos—a
steamed dumpling with ground meat or mixed vegetables
and fresh spices; and mouth-watering Goat Curry–slowbraised,
free-range goat meat cooked in Himalayan spices
and curry broth. Vegetarians favor Quanty Masala, made
with nine varieties of beans and legumes, tomato, onion,
ginger, garlic and Himalayan herbs. HK also serves vegan
and gluten-free dishes.
After sixteen years as a mountain guide, paraglider and
owner of Mt. Pumori Trekking and Expeditions, and a
community mentor and leader, Bastakoti came to the U.S.
in 2004. Unable to find food similar to that in Nepal,
he established his own Nepalese restaurant. His connection
to the outdoors continues. Many HK patrons are world-class
climbers and mountaineers.
When Surya’s friend, Apa Sherpa, reached the twenty-first
and final summit of Mount Everest, he carried both the
Nepalese flag and one from HK. Surya and his wife, Carmen,
threw a huge welcome back party for Apa who presented Surya
with the flag he had taken to the summit of Mount Everest.
That day, Surya dedicated a wall containing Apa’s oxygen
tank, expedition photos and messages from Apa’s friends.
Surya considers “Apa’s Wall” one of HK’s most precious parts.
HK’s early days were challenging, as people unfamiliar
with Nepal’s cuisine were often hesitant to try it. Starting
with just three loyal employees, HK now employs twenty.
The average daily income has increased from $450 to
$4,000, thanks in part to word-of-mouth from local
climbers, friends, paragliders and Nepalese locals. From
its original site at 73 East 400 South, HK moved in 2009
to a venue triple its size at 360 South State.
Surya’s future plans include renovating the site’s top
floor, opening a larger banquet hall, a high-end, Indianthemed
bar, and an Asian Arts gallery where local artists can
display their work.
HK’s mission is to serve outstanding and flavorful
Himalayan cuisine, crafted traditionally with the finest ingredients,
yet with an understanding of modern food, décor
and ambience preferences. It seeks to be a community hub
for exposure to Nepalese culture and traditions, while giving
back to the local community, and is active in dozens of community
and charitable activities.
HIMALAYAN KITCHEN
T H E M A R K E T P L A C E
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