Himchuli RiNo - Indian and Nepali Cuisine — Restaurant in Denver

SPECTACULAR DINNER ! My wife and I have been to more than a few Indian / Himalayan / Tibetan / Nepali restaurants in our 24 years together and this place was by far THE BEST EVER ! On Monday, September 5th we were nearing the end of our one week vacation in Denver. We had left Frisco at 1pm for the 76 mile drive to our Airbnb house in the RiNo district of Denver and should have arrived around 1.30pm. But it was LABOR DAY and there must have been accidents as we did not arrive at our digs in Denver til 5.15pm. WHEW ! And Denver was still in the middle of a heatwave. Thankfully the owner of our house had the air con cranked up. WHAT A RELIEF ! We relaxed for a bit and I even enjoyed a couple of ice cold beers. We needed to find somewhere close for dinner and again the owner came to the rescue with a list of recommended local restaurants. WE LOVE INDIAN FOOD so Himchuli got our vote. My wife phoned and made a 6.30pm dinner reservation. Even though the restaurant was within walking distance we drove..it was still 85F just after 6pm. We found a parking spot in a very busy street and arrived right on 6.30pm. It was lovely and cool when we entered the hip looking space. A cheerful server/hostess named Crystal greeted us and seated us at a table just inside the entrance. Menus and glasses of cool water arrived promptly. WOW....I was gobsmacked to see they had a hazy IPA on tap....definitely a big step above every Indian restaurant we've been in. I had knocked off 2 IPA's before we came not expecting to find a craft beer I wanted to try. I ordered a Westfax Brewing "Urban Lumberjack" Hazy IPA - 6.5% abv and a SAMOSA STARTER to kick things off. In the meantime we looked through the menu for our ideal entrees. Crystal returned with my ice cold hazy IPA very quickly and darn it tasted good ! A smiling food runner named Sushan ( son of the chef ) delivered our Samosa Starter. Probably the best vegetable samosas we've ever enjoyed. The restaurant was gradually filling up....some were dining at the bar counter too. When Crystal returned we ordered our entrees....CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA ( A staple of Indian cuisine , a creamy sauce with authentic spices ) for my wife and I liked the sound of the KADAI ( Tangy & aromatic dish combines bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, exotic herbs and spices ) and I selected Shrimp. We also ordered a serve of CHEESE / ONION NAAN. To my amazement it actually listed SPICE OPTIONS 1-7 on the main menu.....I chose Hot - 5. To be honest I was not expecting much extra kick in my entree. I don't know how many Indian and Thai restaurants we have been to and I am asked how spicy...hit me with 5 or a 6 I would say and I get whimpsville every time ! They must have gotten a tad busy as we did wait longer than expected for our entrees and naan. Again it was Sushan the food runner who brought out our dishes and they looked MOUTHSATIONAL ! Sushan shared with us that it is mainly Nepali cuisine served here as prepared by his Dad. My wife was over the moon with her incredible Chicken Tikka Masala....favor flavor flavor ! I had my hands full with my mouthwatering Shrimp Kadai which was definitely a hot spicy 5. AND I LOVED IT ! Our Cheese / Onion Naan tasted sensational and paired perfectly with our delicious meals. We were so full and satisfied that dessert was never a thought. To say we were very impressed with the friendly service, our drinks, our meals and the relaxing vibe would be an understatement. The highlight of our one week vacation in Colorado !...

clean plate club members only

So, there we were, cruising the late-night streets with the hunger of a thousand marathon runners. Out of nowhere, this glowing beacon of Indian cuisine appeared, proclaiming the best masala known to mankind. I mean, these guys weren’t just bragging – they had the zeal of ancient prophets. The server, bless his spicy soul, swore on his grandmother’s sacred curry pot that this masala could change lives. Naturally, we had to find out. We strolled in, squad goals complete, accompanied by a dog whose nose was twitching with anticipation.

Now, let’s get to the heat of the matter – the spice level. They presented a scale from 1 to 10. We scoffed at danger and chose a 5, thinking we were seasoned pros. Friends, let me tell you, their 5 was like hugging a volcano during an inferno.

The food you ask? Pure, untainted, dynamite. The masala was a symphony of flavors, each note hitting harder than the last. It was like tasting a Bollywood blockbuster, full of drama, suspense, and that inevitable spicy twist. Our taste buds were on a rollercoaster ride with the Chili Momo, also just a fun set of words to say out loud. Say it with me again, Chili Momo.

Through the tears and sweat, we laughed, bonded, and probably terrified the dog into a lifetime of bland diets. The staff checked on us, their eyes twinkling with the knowledge that we were forever changed by their masala marvel. So, if you’re feeling brave and want to meet some of the friendliest spice warriors around, this place is your calling. Just remember, their spice scale isn’t messing around – if you can’t handle the medium sauce packet from taco bell, this isn’t the...

As a fellow Indian travelling to Denver, good Indian food was not something I was even expecting. After having tried a couple of different spots, my expectations were guarded.

But this place completely changed my take on this. Most of the crowd in here was... well... not Indian which was not uncommon for Denver.

When we ordered the Kadai Paneer and the Daal Makhni and told them to make it super spicy... they did. And the flavors literally took us back home. This wasn't just the best Indian food in Denver... but it was one of the Top 10 Indian food we've ever had outside of India. It even put some of the places in India to shame.

Super fresh ingredients, made to order unlike most places who have the curries and daals ready. The naan was made fresh as well and not reheated frozen stuff which many restaurants still serve at high pricepoints.

The service was topnotch as well. Ambiance was quite cozy and not super loud despite how busy it got after about 7pm.

Definitely our go-to Indian in Denver... never thought I'd have an Indian spot in Denver I would crave going to...