Erica Browne Grivas December 5, 2014 6:35am

Credit Erica Grivas

Tangletown’s restaurant scene just got a little more global. In the space formerly known as Eva, one family is serving up a blend of Indian/Nepalese/Tibetan dishes just in time to warm our chilly souls on these darker days of winter. The name is not just a cultural reference – the family name actually is Sherpa, and the chef, Jangbu, has reportedly gone up Everest ten times without aid of oxygen. Ang Sherpa is the owner.

My husband and I were beyond tired of turkey last weekend, so when he suggested going to dinner there, I leapt for my coat. Besides, the restaurant is just two blocks away from us, so it’s important to suss out the local options.

Inside, the the restaurant, which opened only two weeks after Eva’s departure Oct. 30, looks much the same, though now decorated with Tibetan bells, banners, and pictures of Everest.

Reviews on Yelp are largely very positive:

It’s true feel good comfort food that’s very authentic. We had the momo’s (which are traditional dumplings), sherpa stew (which is a little like a chicken pot pie with a few dumplings instead of crust, very tasty, and the chai kept coming. We liked the atmosphere, open kitchen, and the staff were so friendly, especially the owner Ang. And reasonable prices too! – Brittany F

I’ve been to Nepal and love the food, so I’m quite familiar with what is authentic and what’s “Americanized.” The food was wonderful. – Anita E

If you’ve enjoyed Indian food, you’ll see a lot of familiar names on the menu, like Pakora, papadum, and panir, though they may be spelled differently than you remember. For instance, Jal     Frezi becomes Jal Fregi here, and Lassi becomes Lashi.

We tried the Himalayan Sherpa House Special – chicken or lamb curry, vegetables, saag (spinach dip), dal (yellow lentil dip) and kir (rice pudding) – which we were told would be enough for two – and it was – with leftovers.

The accompanying naan bread was as shiny as a Kardashian with what I’m guessing was butter or ghee, and was delicious dipped in the various sauces. Both the chicken curry and the vegetables had the same tomato-based sauce ; we both would have preferred some variety, but it was quite tasty. I wasn’t crazy about the rice pudding, even though I am usually a fan; it seemed somewhat sour to me.  Our server was friendly and attentive.

We ordered “Medium” spicy, which meant “Not at all” in this case, so if you like it hot, don’t hesitate – go for five stars.

Vegan and gluten-free options are available. If you have kids in tow, you might ease them in with a Lashi – a yogurt shake offered not just in Mango, as in most Indian restaurants, but in Strawberrry, Banana and Cinnamon. For kids who really hate trying new things, the kids’ menu has the obligatory mac ‘n cheese and chicken fingers.

Next time – and there will be one – I look forward to trying the Momos, Nepalese curried meat dumplings, which are a popular street food in Tibet, or the Himalayan stew.

They don’t deliver, but take out is available. Note that although the door sign, web site and menus all say lunch is offered daily, staffers say Sunday and Monday lunches are going to be removed.