Cafe Himalaya Keeps It Hot and Cheap

BYOB. These four little letters help me forgive a world of sin when it comes to restaurants, much to the chagrin of fellow diners who don’t mind paying a few extra bucks for a drink, aka did not study “communications” in college and have well-paying jobs. As such, when I suggested trying Cafe Himalaya I even offered to buy the wine so they’d be enamored with my uncharacteristic generosity and overlook any terrible food/bad decor/questionable Health Code grades in the window (they had an “A”…phew).

Huddled in the odd little cluster around the nexus of the universe, this Tibetan food spot would be good whether they let you bring your own booze or not. Entrees like the excellent Tibetan-style curry dish Chasha Shamdey or spicy Chili Chicken are $7.50-$9.50, so you can afford to splurge on the 8-piece dumplings (Momo) to start. The offerings are expansive so when overwhelmed, stick to the chalkboard of handwritten staff suggestions on the wall but be prepared for some heat no matter what you go with.

The decor is pretty straightforward–tables, chairs, and some pictures of Tibet on the wall–but you’ll probably be too busy shoving awesome food in your mouth to notice. So top your friends off with the $3 wine your brought with a label that makes it look like a $10, and let out a big “YERWELKUM.”

Cafe Himalaya
78 E. 1st St. (at 1st Avenue)
[East Village]

Photo Credit: NYblogs.net