Restaurant Spotlight of the Week

Everest Kabob & Tandoor

It’s safe to say that Everest Kabob & Tandoor is Falls Church City’s newest restaurant, having opened its doors at 7151 Lee Highway for the first time just this past Monday. You’ll find plenty of authentic Indian dishes here consisting of bread, rice, lamb, chicken and more as well as an extensive selection of plates prepared tandoori style. Tandoori refers to the style of cooking food over charcoal in a special barrel shaped clay oven; a method widely used in North Indian cuisine. This way of cooking produces food that is cooked on the outside while still retaining its moisture and flavor on the inside.

Everest offers a sizable menu containing over 50 items that are available for eat-in, carryout and delivery. The food is quickly prepared rivaling the speed of a fast food establishment. However, at the lunchtime hours of 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday-Sunday (Mon-Fri-$6.95, Sat & Sun- $9.95), a buffet is available consisting of a potpourri of dishes from their menu. The items offered are rotated daily to give regular customers a variety of tastes.

While the menu contains plenty of Indian favorites including the Butter Chicken (boneless chicken cooked with green peppers in tomato sauce) and the extremely tender and succulent Lamb Curry (fresh lamb chunks cooked in onion sauce flavored with Indian spices and herbs), there are also some dishes influenced by owner Basant Gautam’s home of Nepal. The Everest House Special Momo (ground chicken wrapped in wantong flour steamed and served with a tomato sauce) in addition to the Everest Special Sizzling Grill (a combo of tandoori chicken, tandoori chicken tikka, lamb seekh kabab and tandoori shrimp served with a side of vegetables) are two Nepalese inspired dishes labeled “can’t-miss.”

Vegetarians needn’t worry as there is an assortment of meatless dishes ranging from the Dal Mankhani (lentils cooked until tender with a blend of mild spices) to the Kari Pakora (potatoes and mixed vegetables cooked in yogurt sauce with turmeric, cumin, fennel and onion). The Accompaniments portion of the menu also features some fruit and vegetable only items that are guaranteed to jump start your taste buds. The sweet and tangy Mango Chutney packs plenty of flavor and the simply named Pickle (lemon, cauliflower, and carrot in a spicy pickle flavor) borders on flavor overload for your mouth.

Everest will also be featuring daily specials and their free delivery is available up to three miles away.

Despite not even being open a week, Gautam already has his sights for Everest Kabob & Tandoor set high. “My goal is to have the best food in the area,” he says. While its namesake Mount Everest is a target for climbers, Everest Kabob & Tandoor should quickly become a target for diners.