When you are in the mood for something different and a bit out of the ordinary for lunch or dinner, and you do not want to travel to the top of the world to find it, there is a restaurant in Bergen Park you should visit. Tucked away at 1262 Bergen Parkway, Suite E 100 in the corner of the small shopping center across the street from the Bergen Park King Soopers, "The Everest" Restaurant offers "Cuisine of Himalaya" and features popular dishes of Nepal, Tibet and India. I recently met friends there for lunch.
If you are not familiar with Himalayan food, (as I am not), then lunch is a good time to visit. Served from a buffet beginning at 11:00 a.m. daily, all lunch offerings are clearly marked and available for viewing. Frankly, I never tried "Thukpa Johl", "Panir Tika Masala", or even "Saag ", but I was able to look at a take-out menu describing each dish and take in the visual before actually putting any on my plate. My biggest concern is that some of these vegetarian dishes and soups may actually contain meat bases and dairy. If you have any doubts, or if you have food allergies, ask about the ingredients before indulging. What may appear to be vegetarian may in fact not be. Asking is the only way to be certain. Also, do not assume that these are "low fat" treats simply because they are vegetarian. Many of the foods I tried were very rich. Personally, I enjoyed everything I ate and thought many of the foods reminded me of the "Marrakesh" restaurant downtown, but with lower prices. If you like what you taste at lunch, come back for dinner beginning at 3:00 p.m. The dinner menu offers an even wider variety with enough choice to suite everyone.
Featuring Lamb, Chicken, Seafood and Vegetarian entrees, the dinner menu offers 60 choices including 19 vegetarian options. There are also 13 appetizers, 12 breads, nine sides, and six "American" entrees such as Chicken Fingers, Nachos, Hamburgers and a Chicken Sandwich. There really is something for everyone, everything on the menu is reasonably priced, and I saw nothing at all to remind me of anything Indiana Jones ate.
Appetizers are $2.99 to $4.99, Soups are $2.99, and Breads are $1.95 to $3.95 or you can put four breads together for a basket at $6.95. All entrees are priced from $8.95 for the lightest vegetarian entrees and go up to $13.95 for some of the seafood dishes. There is also a "Kids' Menu" with eight choices priced at $3.95 to $5.95, and a dessert menu with six choices for $1.95 to $3.95. Soft drinks are $1.50 to $2.50 with plenty of choice. I am sorry, but I do not remember if the restaurant served alcoholic beverages.
I rate this restaurant an "A-". They are new and not quite perfect, but I like the atmosphere, the variety, and the concept. The next time your adventurous spirit whispers in your ear, know that you do not have to schedule an expedition or buy any special gear to taste the foods that Sir Edmund Percival Hillary may have enjoyed before beginning his famous ascent. Just drive the short distance to Bergen Park to enjoy a view of the Colorado Mountains and a unique dining experience.
"The Everest" restaurant, or "Cuisine of Himalaya", is a bit tricky to find for people not familiar with the area. Take the Evergreen Parkway exit off I-70 into Bergen Park. When you come to the stoplight, turn onto Bergen Parkway in the direction of King Soopers and look for the shopette on the left. Turn in and follow the winding road around back looking for the signs. The address is 1262 Bergen Parkway, Suite E 100, 303-670-3370. The hours are 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for lunch, 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for dinner Sunday through Thursday and they stay open for dinner until 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.