Everest Kitchen — Restaurant in Wendell

Delightfully Different

Everest Kitchen, in the heart of downtown Wendell, offers a great change-of-pace dining experience. The menu features the foods of India, Thailand and China; so there's something for everyone. The dining room is welcoming, the staff cordial, and there's plenty of free parking nearby. If you haven't tried some of these Asian cuisines, step out of your comfort zone and experiment a little. You will enjoy the experience.

We started lunch with the Samosa Appetizer ($5.95 for two). The deep fried pastries (filled with savory potatoes and peas) were quite dry, but came to life with the zesty Tamarind Sauce. The star of lunch was the Indian Curry ($13.95 for Lamb / $12.95 for Chicken). The Curry itself was bursting with flavor and just enough heat to get your attention. The Lamb was fork tender and juicy. The Thai Dragon Noodles with Shrimp ($12.95) were not so good. It could be that we just don't appreciate some of the Thai seasonings, but we probably won't be ordering this dish again.

Dinner with friends was a real treat. We shared the MO MO Himalayan minced Chicken Dumpling appetizer ($9.95 for six) - totally delicious. I am a big fan of Salmon and have it often. The Everest Kitchen's Tandoori Salmon ($22.95) was as good as any I have had. The four large pieces of Salmon (marinated in Paprika, Ginger, Turmeric and Garlic) were cooked on skewers and served over a bed of chopped vegetables with Steamed Rice and Masala Sauce. The Salmon was beautifully charred, served sizzling hot, and tender and juicy on the inside.

We also enjoyed the Everest Lo Mein ($17.95). The mound of fat egg noodles was nicely seasoned and packed with bite-size pieces of Shrimp, Steak and Chicken. The traditional Chicken Tikka Masala ($17.95 with Steamed Rice) was mild, but flavorful (a great dish to try if you are new to Indian cuisine).

We also tried that Chinese take-out favorite, General Tso's Chicken ($14.95 with Steamed Rice), and we weren't disappointed. It hit all the notes: sweet, savory, spicy and tangy - with tender, crispy chicken bites.

Portions are really big. Two people could easily share an appetizer and an entree and enjoy a filling meal. Speaking of big, the Taj Mahal lager ($9.95) comes in an ice cold 22-ounce bottle, and is so refreshing. House Wines are available for $8.75 (red) and $8.25 (white). The Chardonnay was pleasant enough and very drinkable. Cocktails are also offered.

I find Everest Kitchen to be one of the area's most interesting and delightful dining options....

Things are a little too hectic for my wife and I lately for us to really sit down at a restaurant. But when we heard about a new Thai and Indian place coming to town, we knew we had to give it a shot. So we ordered takeout. (We already have a place or two for good Chinese, so we're not super interested in that part.)

Expectations were high, as we used to live in an area with some exceptional Thai and Indian options. (Long Island, NY -- if you're ever there, check out Frankly Thai in Franklin Square and Kiran Palace in Hicksville.) Well, I'm happy to say that even though we only did takeout, the food exceeded my expectations. We split an order of Chicken Massaman Curry (Thai), Chicken Korma (Indian), Samosas, and Spring Rolls.

Obviously the presentation takes a hit when you do takeout, but as soon as I got my first tastes of everything, I knew we had a winner. All the flavors were just right -- in fact, it may even be my new favorite Chicken Korma. The Massaman Curry was a tiny bit more runny than I'm used to, but the taste was 100% there. Spring rolls and Samosas were on point too, although I'm not sure if they come with sauce when you dine in, which could take them to the next level.

For the brief time I was in the restaurant, the atmosphere was great. Cozy modern family-friendly "bar" vibe, with an amazing blend of exotic flavors permeating the air. Right now they only appear to have one cashier/waiter/server (on Wednesday evening, at least) and are experiencing some delays getting the food out as a result. Hopefully they will quickly remedy this now that they've realized how much demand there is. (It's opening week, after all.) If they play their cards right, they could be a big-time player in revitalizing...

This place had pretty good food, but our dine in experience was bizarre. The waiter came over and insisted on only taking BEER orders first. Soda and water had to wait. We had 5 adults and he only brought 4 beers back and had to do a second trip for the 5th. I ordered my young son a meal from the kids menu immediately, and 5 minutes later the waiter came back and asked me IF the menu said the meal came with fries because he was not sure. My sister asked a question about a food item and the waiter responded "what does the menu say?". I started to question if this dude worked here, or if we worked there. My girlfriend was feeling a bit under the weather so we stepped outside to get some fresh air, and another worker (manager?) Came to our table and demanded to know where we had gone and why. Our waiter was arguing with a co-worker at the register for a hot minute. We had 3 different people come over and ask how we wanted to split the check. We asked for 2 togo boxes and the waiter insisted he bring three. When we left the waiter said "have a great Tuesday night!!" But it was Saturday. After we left 2 people in our group commented that it was the most awkward interaction they have ever had with...