214 Harding Boulevard, Suite A, Roseville, 916-474-5349, everestchillipepperca.com
everestchilli

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday-Monday, Wednesday-Thursday); 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday-Saturday); closed Tuesday

TRY THIS: Lamb Fry Momo, Cauliflower Manchurian, Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer, Veg Kathi Roll,
Vegetable Biryani, Butter Chicken, Butter Garlic Naan, Chicken Chow Mein, Gulab Jamun

DRINKS: Beer & wine

TAB: $$

HEADS-UP: Generous portions at fair prices; dishes can be adjusted to your spice preference; catering available; all menu items are crafted using fresh, high-quality ingredients; cozy, casual, clean, family-friendly ambiance; reservations accepted; ample vegan and vegetarian options.

Things weren’t quite right for a night out. My family had just returned from a trip abroad, and we were exhausted. Our son was sick, it was raining, and the return to reality was chaotic: riddled with familiar yet distant tasks that had piled up in all corners of life.

Still, I decided to make a break for it. A short drive led me to one of Roseville’s hidden restaurant gems: Everest Chilli Pepper, which serves Indian and Nepalese fare with a Chinese flair. A perfect choice for a recharge.

Indian food holds a special place in my heart. The first time I tried it was at 17, when I visited India on a summer trip. The flavors blew my mind in the best way possible, each bite offering new and exciting aromas. Cardamom? Is that a rapper? Turmeric? Is that his sidekick? My first dish was saag paneer, devoured in a tiny, hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked far off the beaten path in the frenzied streets of New Delhi. As I dug into the creamy greens (saag) combined with Indian cottage cheese (paneer) and a host of spices, every sense of my being was engaged.

Fast forward to today. As I dined solo at Everest Chilli Pepper—accompanied only by the soothing pitter-patter of the rain and a few other satisfied patrons—I took my first bite of saag paneer. It tasted new again—just like it did nearly 20 years ago. I closed my eyes to savor and identify the familiar yet ever-refreshing flavors, each one still seeming to surprise me.

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken, in my foodie opinion, is like a prodigal only child: it can do no wrong. The rendition at Everest was indeed a winner—rich, aromatic, and comforting. I couldn’t resist dipping the freshly baked, buttery naan into it, blending the textures and flavors into a moment of pure indulgence.

Lamb Fry Momo

The lamb momos—Nepalese and Tibetan dumplings, often steamed (but in this instance fried) and filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese—also carried me back to a memory of an intimate Himalayan café on the outskirts of McLeod Ganj, far from anything or anyone familiar except for a version of myself in the Himalayas.

Saag Paneer

Chicken Chow Mein

Gulab Jamun

Veg Kathi Roll

Finally, I couldn’t say no to the gulab jamun—essentially fried donut holes soaked in a sweet, fragrant syrup—for dessert. It was as delicious as it sounds, maybe even more so, and provided the perfect sweet ending to my meal.

Everest Chilli Pepper successfully brings the flavors of the Himalayas to a suburban strip mall in Roseville. Amid the chaos of life, my experience reminded me that a little bit of comfort food can go a long way.  

by Ryan Martinez  |  photos by JYO BHAMIDIPATI

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