Shree Paija and Sarita Lama wanted to fill what they saw as a big gap in the local dining scene.
So, recently, they cut the ribbon on Mount Everest Nepali & Indian Cuisine, re-introducing south Asian flavors to the capital city.
“There’s no Indian restaurant in Harrisburg’s downtown,” Paija said. “There’s a lot of people who [love] Indian food there, so I decided to open [a restaurant].”
The new Strawberry Square space is an ode to the fragrant flavors of Paija and Lama’s home country of Nepal, and its namesake pays homage to the world’s tallest mountain, which runs along the border of Nepal and China.
“[Mount Everest is] just so famous in our country,” Paija said. “If you go over there in Nepal, then [you are] visiting Mount Everest.”
While it may be the couple’s first entry into the city’s food scene, it’s hardly their first experience in restaurant ownership.
Ten years ago, they opened Khana Indian Bistro in Hershey after working extensively in other central Pennsylvania restaurants. Now, they are bringing their wealth of hospitality experience to Harrisburg’s central business district.
For Brad Jones, president & CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which owns Strawberry Square, Mount Everest Nepali & Indian Cuisine is a win for not only the square but for the community at large.
“We’re footsteps from the Capitol. We get a lot of visitors from the Whitaker Center, a lot of visitors from the Hilton Hotel,” Jones said. “People love downtown because they can walk to a lot of different offerings.”
Jones is not just the landlord, but a happy customer. A self-described devotee of Indian cuisine, he’s eaten in the restaurant many times since it opened in late January.
“The quality of the food is tremendous, and the offering of Indian and Nepali food provides a really nice diversity of food offerings here,” he said.
Previously home to Fresa Bistro, which closed during the pandemic, Mount Everest’s sit-down space is a welcome addition to the fast-casual dining options available elsewhere in Strawberry Square.
“People have talked a lot about [the] pandemic kind of taking [a] bite out of the city’s restaurant scene,” Jones said. “This is a great example of a strong comeback.”
Among Mount Everest’s curated menu, a dedicated section highlights traditional Nepali dishes like momo, a steamed dumpling stuffed with chicken or vegetables, and sekuwa, meat marinated with traditional spices and grilled over a wood fire.
For first-time patrons, Paija recommends the chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken and palak paneer, a North Indian curry dish, or garlic naan, a fragrant flatbread. Guests can also sample a selection of rotating signature dishes at the restaurant’s lunch buffet to find their favorites.
“People will crawl through hot lava to get to good Indian food, and I’m one of them,” Jones said. “There are other Indian restaurants outside of the city, but this is the only one in the city. That’s really important.”
Mount Everest Nepali & Indian Cuisine is located at 19 N. 3rd St. (Strawberry Square), Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.mounteverestcuisinepa.com.
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