There are times in life when addiction can take hold of you: drugs, gambling, men, women, food. I'm currently chasing my own dragon right now, getting my fix one dumpling at a time, at Himalayan Bites. Owner Tenzin Sherpa is bringing to Bend the Nepalese comfort food he grew up on, which includes momos, or Nepalese dumplings.
Sherpa was born in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he spent much of his childhood observing his grandmother cook with precision, love, and passion. "(When I was) growing up as a child, my grandmother had a restaurant, and I would just watch her cook. She was a good one. She is my inspiration for cooking," he says.
For him, food did more than fill an empty belly; it brought together food and family and brought out the emotions that tie the two together. "As they say, knowledge is food for the brain as music is for the soul. I believe good food leads to both soul and your heart," he says.
Himalayan Bites is best known for hand-made dumplings that are stuffed with meats and veggies, then steamed until they resemble little clouds of savory goodness. Drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce, they are far too easy to eat by the dozen. Before you go, be sure to change into stretch pants.
In the Nepali language, "Himalaya" means "mountain range," so Himalayan food encompasses the cuisine of Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. According to Sherpa, "Our main goal is to let people experience the food from Nepal and Tibet. I have always had a passion for cooking and a food cart was a great way to introduce our food to the people."
The concept is simple, but the flavors are complex. "Our foods are freshly prepared on a regular basis, using herbs and spices from the Himalayas back home, which we import," says Sherpa. He is pleased to bring his favorite foods to the place he now calls home. "I personally feel that I am home because of the mountains and their beauty," says the 31-year-old entrepreneur. "Bend is a beautiful place and the people are just as awesome as the place itself. Bend in many ways reminds me of back home. They say home is where your heart is, so I am home."
Bendites craving diversity and foreign flavors will be eager to welcome the Himalayan Bites food cart—and its momos—into their homes, their hearts, and their hollow bellies.
Himalayan Bites
Follow Himalayan Bites on FB or check them out on Yelp!
Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 9am-3pm
Friday & Saturday, 9am-6pm
Closed on Sundays
Himalayan Bites will be moving from Greenwood Avenue to a location near Spoken Moto sometime this week. Follow them on Facebook to find out where they'll be setting up shop.
