Himali Cha Cha & Son restaurant is situated in a cozy old house. The house is reminiscent of a designs from the 60s or 70s, perhaps from a time when there were very few condo buildings in Bangkok. The interior is quaint, warm and mostly inviting.
We were grateful for all the full length windows which allow us to see outside into a small but interesting garden replete with a small fish pond. Unsurprisingly it is adorned with Indian artworks throughout. There is a story on how all this came together as well, the founder, Mr. Cha Cha spent over 40 years cooking around the world before creating Himali Cha Cha in 1980. Early in his career he was on of the staff of Lord Mountbatten of India in the 1940s.
From here he begun cooking for the rich, powerful and famous. After Indian independence, Mr. Cha Cha decided to become a chef for Indian Ambassadors abroad. His last diplomatic posting was in Laos, where he got married, then set up a small restaurant by the morning market which was widely appreciated. In 1977 Cha Cha and his Thai family moved to Bangkok, Thailand. In Bangkok, Himali Cha Cha & Son grew from demand for Cha Cha’s cooking, and dexterity with Indian spices.
Indian Onion Bhaji
Added the sauces to the Onion Bahji, the mint is refreshing and a bit sharp, so goes well with the onion Bhaji. The Bhaji Onions is far from bland and is well made. Can mix also with the sweet tamarind sauce. Or the pickled small onions. All this is lovely typical Indian fare.
Garlic Naan bread
There are no surprises with the naan bread except to say that it is well seasoned with a lunch amount of garlic which is actually very much to my liking. Generous portions always bode well. Again I went back to my trio of sources in which to Combine with the non-bread which although we plentiful garlic I had a robust taste was enhanced through the sources
Chicken tikka with mint
The chicken tikka came layered with somewhat sweet but thick mint sauce and sitting on a bed of slightly pickled onions. There’s a lime sitting in the middle which invite you to squeeze it sending a shower of sour juice into the chicken. The chicken pulls apart easily suggesting that tenderness. What they have here is something quite special all the taste ingredients combine to make a lovely chicken dish that sits aplomb those taste towers of sweet and sour. It has both balance and nuance which will be appreciated by its audience
Prawn biryani
This is an appealing and well presented dish. Immediately you sense the possibility of some decent flavours happening here based on the visuals alone. Nothing here is overcooked, the onion is crisp, the prawns are tender
Chicken Kashmiri
Next we moved to the chicken Kashmiri, which is A rich mild Himalayan blend it with dried fruits nuts yoghurt. Overall it is a subtle flavor, a thick blend Of North Indian local ingredients
Conclusion
This restaurant presents itself as an elegant destinations in which to enjoy Sumptuous Indiana fare with the delights of cozy interiors and views of green gardens.