As another Valentine's Day rolls around, you might be wondering what to do and where to go to celebrate the day of love. In order to properly begin an evening of sentimentality, you need to eat. But where? Downtown Boston beckons, with its multitude of restaurants in Chinatown or Newbury Street; then there's Harvard Square, with its quaint cafes and coffee shops. Though all these places will probably add a nice spark to your evening, a small, easily overlooked place right here in Somerville can also surely spice things up.
Located at 235 Holland Street, House of Tibet Kitchen does not boast a noticeably attractive facade, with a colorful yet fading awning and concrete steps. Once inside, however, a new experience in taste and consciousness awaits you.
The decor is simple yet charmingly assembled. The white walls are accented with a band of green encircling the top of the ceiling and another, halfway down the wall, of dark blue, mustard, and maroon - darker shades of the country's flag's colors of yellow, red, and blue. Paintings of the Tibetan countryside, noted scholars, and various wildlife hang on the walls. A large portrait of the Dalai Lama and gold candleholders also lend a monastic feel to the restaurant. The lighting is slightly faint but the string of white holiday lights hung around the perimeter of the restaurant adds a touch of ambiance.
If the floral pastel runners, throw rugs or seat covers don't sufficiently prepare you for an out-of-the-ordinary dining experience with your loved one, the continuous meditative music will. The sound of Tibetan instruments along with intercessions of chanting monks has a calming, almost serendipitous effect on the diner. Perhaps this backdrop will initiate a spiritual connection when you gaze into your partner's eyes.
The menu is no less spectacular than the ambiance of the restaurant. It offers numerous options from appetizers to desserts - yet the names of the various dishes appear redundant to the eye. A closer look at the English translations, though, may help shed some light on some of those meanings.
If you're looking for some direction, start with the Tsel Momo, steamed dumplings filled with fresh vegetables, potato seasoned with herbs, and served with a lentil soup or salad. The dumplings are light and fluffy, plus they're healthy - they contain far less oil than Chinese dumplings. They are served with a spicy tomato and crushed red pepper sauce, which packs quite a punch even with just a small amount. The soup is very similar to the dahl of Indian cooking, but it's a lighter and thinner version with tomatoes and cilantro bringing out the flavor.
Other appetizers include Tsel Gyathuk Ngopa, a dish of freshly cut vegetables tossed with fried rice, and Sho-Kho Kha-Tsa, a Tibetan delicacy of curried potatoes that are fried and lightly topped with fresh ginger and garlic, and finally sprinkled with cilantro.
As a main course, the Shap-Ta offers an interesting variation to a normal beef order. Served with a salad of carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, and vinegar, this is a dish of saut?©ed slices of beef flavored with scallions and cilantro that includes either rice or Tibetan bread.
Meat selections also include Shamdeh, Tibetan curry with choices of chicken, beef, or lamb; Phing Sha, stir-fried bean threads with mushrooms, beef, or chicken; and Sha-Ngo Thukpa, freshly cooked noodles, pan fried with beef or chicken.
Vegetarian dishes are minimal since many, if not all, of the restaurant's offerings come with some choice of vegetable. The vegetarian selection includes tofu with broccoli, spinach with hot garlic, and tofu with mixed vegetables.
House of Tibet Kitchen serves three types of desserts, including a fruit salad with yogurt as well as ice cream. The most interesting and colorful item on the dessert list is called Dreysil. Made with sweet saffron rice, nuts, and raisins and topped with yogurt, this dessert is another delicacy that is often served in Tibet on auspicious occasions such as the Dalai Lama's birthday and Tibetan New Year.
To quench your thirst (or your burning palate), the beverage list includes Kushu Changkol, Tibetan apple cider sprinkled with cottage cheese, and Tchue-Cen Dhara, a homemade yogurt shake with bananas, strawberries or both. No alcoholic beverages are served at the restaurant.
House of Tibet Kitchen will not only celebrate Valentine's Day, but its third anniversary on February 14. Family-run since its inception, the restaurant attracts a variety of people, both local residents and college students. According to Yeshey Palsang, the restaurant's owner, House of Tibet Kitchen relies on its regular customers that frequent the restaurant at least once a week; news about the restaurant has mainly gotten around by word of mouth.
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the restaurant is busiest at dinner time - especially on weekend nights. It is closed on Mondays. The restaurant has also catered events sponsored by the Students for a Free Tibet and will have a special menu on February 24 for Losar, the Tibetan New Year.
