Culinary Jewels at the New Jewel of Himalaya
- Details
- Written by: Judie Dweck
- Hits: 8874
Climbing the Himalayas has never been a goal of mine. However, discovering a top quality Himalayan restaurant close to home, sounded most appealing. With the recent opening of Jewel of Himalaya on Central Avenue in Scarsdale, we can now enjoy the culinary jewels of Himalayan cuisine in our own community. We were greeted by the gracious, soft spoken owner Nuru Sherpa and his pleasant staff. He explained that people were traveling all the way to Yorktown Heights to try Himalayan food since 2011 where he opened his first restaurant. To accommodate his lower Westchester diners, he and his wife recently opened Jewel of Himalaya right here in Scarsdale. The large space seats about 80 guests. The tables are nicely spaced for privacy, and the perimeter of the room has comfortable white tufted banquettes. Eventually low table traditional seating will be offered, as well. Pride in his Himalayan culture is represented in the décor. There is a large painting of The Himalayas on one wall. Ornate framed carpets used by the Nepalese king are on another wall. An artistic rendering of three wheels representing peace, love and compassion which must turn and spin around the world and a wall hanging of squares of white, gold, blue and red representing clouds, earth, sky and sun, as well as screens with travelogues of Himalayan culture complete the setting. The gentle sounds of the bamboo flute and the dramyang fill the air, and a sense of peace and well-being permeate the room. An additional plus is the parking lot behind the restaurant.
Nuru Sherpa came here as a teen. He worked his way up in every aspect of the culinary field throughout the country. "My goal is to make people happy. I try to serve in the best way. If you prepare and serve food nicely from your heart, with love, people will appreciate it. Dining restores the whole body and you must relax and treat your body well. ." When asked whom he would like to serve he replied," I want to serve genuine human beings. The customer is most important," Nuru is a generous man. After the Nepal disaster he made donations to help rebuild the schools and hydro power facilities.
Influences of Chinese and Indian cooking are evident in the Himalayan cuisine. As we checked out the menu, we nibbled on complimentary papadam and chutney. A bamboo steamer arrived with assorted momo, traditional dumplings, homemade from dough to filling. I opted for the tomato, cilantro and fenugreek sauce but a cayenne infused hot sauce is offered, as well. I even got a lesson in how to eat the momo in the traditional way. We pick up the dumpling with our fingers and bite into the opposite corner. Pour some sauce into the opening and bite into this delicious treat. The vegetable, beef and chicken momo each had a distinctive shape and the thick dough paired well with the hearty fillings. You can also order them fried. Very tasty was sha phaley, an individual beef tart encrusted with flaky pastry. The rock shrimp appetizer arrived with many tail off small shrimp glazed and battered with a cornstarch and flour mix for a crisp golden result. A creative original appetizer was a crab cutlet. Mashed potato and crabmeat are mixed together and formed into two nice sized patties. It is Sherpa's own variation of a crab cake, and indeed very good. A variety of chilli with chicken, beef, lamb or pork are appetizers, as well. If you wish to begin your meal with soup, try the traditional thendup variety. My steaming bowl of thendup was thinly hand pulled homemade flat noodles, beef and fresh spinach in a rich beef broth. Thukpa with handmade noodles as well, Lentil soup and momo soup with dumplings are very popular, as well. As I write on a cold and rainy morning a bowl of thendup sounds very tempting. Several salads are available, as well. Himalayan salad with a ginger dressing was appealing.Several entrees followed. Himalayan style tandoori dishes were amazing. A sizzling platter of on the bone chicken was garnished with sesame seeds. The marinade had the flavors of cinnamon, scallions, fenugreek, and yogurt. Onion, lemon and tomatoes shared this fragrant platter. The special tandoori sauce included chicken stock, ginger, honey, celery and carrots. Quite different in flavor than its Indian cousin and succulent and tender to the taste. Breads are an important part of the Himalayan meal. From the tandoor, clay oven we enjoyed the spinach nan. The dough was filled with fresh spinach and brushed with butter. Warm and inviting. Himalayan nan with a fruit and nut filling and a puffy Tibetan bread were appealing, as well. Among the entrees, we loved the lamb saag. Tender chunks of lamb mingled with subtly seasoned puree of spinach, resulting in a divine dish. Shrimp korma in a sauce of cashews and almonds was delicate and refined and coconut chicken was slowly simmered in a vegetable stock for a fine result. We have yet to try the many curry dishes. For the novice at this cuisine try a thali, a set menu with a variety of dishes on a platter. If you like noodles, do not miss the mixed stir fried noodles with vegetables, egg, beef and chicken. At Jewel of Himalaya they start with their house made noodles and add the freshest of ingredients. The results are mouthwatering. Their biryani dishes with basmati rice is a good choice, as well.
For dessert, we enjoyed a traditional ras malai Rice pudding and galub jaman are similar to those of their Indian neighbors. I look forward to sampling the house made mango, pistachio, cashew and almond dairy free ice cream soon.
Worthy of note, at Jewel of Himalaya cleanliness is of utmost importance. They have a freezer free kitchen where everything is prepared daily.
Jewel of Himalaya
751 Central Park Avenue
Scarsdale, NY 10583
(914) 874-5506
CHICKEN KORMA (Serves 4)
1 and ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast in 1 inch cubes
1 tsp. diced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
A pinch each of cumin, turmeric and cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
2 ounces cashew nuts
2 ounces almonds
Enough water to add to the nuts to blend to a puree
1 medium tomato, chopped
4 ounces chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
For the garnish, extra nuts and cinnamon
Additional spices if desired
Place almonds, cashews and 2 ounces of onion with enough water into blender container to form a puree. Set the puree aside. Place oil in skillet and heat. Add the remaining 2 ounces of onion and stir until golden. Add garlic and ginger and stir. Add chicken, tomato, cumin, turmeric cardamom and cinnamon stick and stir well for 5 minutes. When the chicken is browned and the tomato is glazed, add the puree and cook for about 10 minutes. Add additional spice if you wish. Garnish with nuts and cinnamon and serve. Remember to remove the cinnamon stick.
Contributor Judie Dweck has been writing about restaurants and food for many publications. She teaches creative cooking to children at Scarsdale elementary schools. Through the years, her articles have appeared in Jack and Jill Magazine, Spotlight, The Pleasure of Cooking and The Scarsdale Inquirer. She balances her restaurant tastings with daily ballet classes.
Firefighters Recover the Body of Missing Man After Sunday House Fire on Boulevard
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 9290
Police recovered the body of the missing victim of a fire at 174 Boulevard at 2:30 pm on Monday afternoon 12/5. The man was later identified by the Westchester County Medical Examiner as Dr. John Salimbene who lived, worked and ultimately died in the house as a result of a fire on Sunday afternoon December 4.
Salmibene, age 85, is survived by seven children and twelve grandchildren. His funeral will be held at Immacualte Heart of Mary Church on Carman Road at 10 am on Monday December 12.
Scarsdale Fire Chief Jim Seymour suspects that Salimbene was overcome by smoke in the house when the roof collapsed into the second floor, which fell into the first floor of the house where Salimbene's body was found under a pile of rubble. Though firefighters made several forays into the house during the fire to search for victims, they saw no sign of Salimbene.
Seymour says that firefighters were severely hampered in their efforts to fight the fire by excessive clutter throughout the house. Seymour warned of the dangers of clutter and said that heavy machinery had been brought in to assist with the search.
Salimbene's wife Marie, was taken out of the house by a good samaritan and she remains at Westchester Medical Center where she is being treated for burns.
This was the first time that a life was lost in an accidental fire in Scarsdale since 1976.
(see more here)
So What Should I Get for the Person Who Has Everything?
- Details
- Written by: Stacie M. Waldman
- Hits: 6975
One thing that Scarsdale resident Valerie Neustadt never liked was picking up a slimy, used bar of soap in someone's guest bathroom. It felt, well, used. She finally decided that there had to be a more personalized way to treat house guests. Valerie had recently left a career in fashion and wanted to bring that extra touch to a rather mundane household item. Thus began her venture into the business world as she brought single use, olive oil-based, disposable soap chips to market under the name Valsey and Me.
Valsey and Me all-natural soaps are 1" x 2" in size and individually wrapped so you can say goodbye to germs. (We all have those friends who are germ freaks.) They are packaged in an attractive, paper mache box of your choosing and can be personalized not only with your choice of font and ribbon color but with the customer's own message. Messages are as creative as the sender and Valerie is always happy to help. Popular customization examples include:
Happy Holidays!
The Schwartz family
Please Take One!
Hazel guests
Welcome!
Casa Smith
There are eight unique scents from which to choose: Apple cider, lavender oatmeal, milk almond and honey, white grapefruit, strawberries and cream, cinnamon orange, lemon verbena and cranberry rose. You can mix and match the scents or order exclusively one.
Valsey and Me soaps have adorned bathrooms in the homes of celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon and former NBA basketball player and Westchester resident Isaiah Thomas. The Chicago Tribune called these soaps, "the greatest housewarming gift since the potted plant." They have been featured by Hoda and Kathie Lee, Oprah, In Style Magazine and have been displayed at a number of high profile weddings.
If you are in search of something different for your favorite Scarsdale resident (who may seem like they have everything), teacher, boss or in-law, these wonderful soaps present beautifully. They also make for unique corporate gifts.
In honor of Valsey and Me's 10th anniversary, customers are being treated to 25% off all soap orders before December 20th. Just visit www.valseyandme.com and enter code Holiday10583 at checkout. Be sure to check back in the new year as they will be launching all-natural, personalized liquid soap in early 2017. Stay clean!
Marine Unit Assisting Wayward Whale Rescues Man Who Jumped Off the GW Bridge
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 5871
Officers from the Westchester County Police Marine Unit, who were diverting a wayward whale back toward New York Harbor, rescued a man from the Hudson River Friday evening 11-19 after he jumped from George Washington Bridge.
Detective C.J. Westbrook and Officer Wilberto Saez had been working with other marine units during the day to safeguard a humpback whale that had headed up the Hudson River. The county police Marine 2 patrol boat stayed with the whale when it turned back south at the Bronx-Westchester border on Friday afternoon. The officers were keeping a visual watch and providing a safety zone around the whale so it would not be struck by another vessel as it headed back down the Hudson River.
As Marine 2 approached the George Washington Bridge at 5:22 p.m., the two officers observed a man leap from the span and plummet to the river below. They located him quickly, pulling him aboard the patrol boat before he could slip beneath the surface. The man was in cardiac arrest and the officers began to perform CPR.
Marine 2 brought the man to the Englewood boat basin in New Jersey where he was turned over to police and EMS personnel for continued medical aid. He was transported to a New Jersey hospital.
Plans for Greenacres School Hang in the Balance
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 6877
Though there was welcome news at the Scarsdale School Board meeting on Monday night about new construction at many Scarsdale Schools, a solution for Greenacres seems to be slipping off the radar. Greenacres has been passed over for work in the last two bond referendums and the previous administration promised that Greenacres would be a priority for a May 2017 bond vote, which is now unconfirmed.
Superintendent Thomas Hagerman followed up on a community wide email sent out on Sunday 11-13 that questioned and dismissed many of the concerns and assumptions parents and teachers have about the aging school.
He said the administration is "Revisiting all of the assumptions and design options that have been discussed to date," which he defined as air quality, water and mold remediation, aging infrastructure and the Model School program.
He announced that there are no issues with air quality, water or mold and that several other district buildings are the same age as Greenacres, and therefore the age of the building was not an issue.
Addressing concerns about the size of the classrooms, he said that some of architect KG&D's numbers were incorrect and they are re-measuring the classrooms and will compare them to the size of classrooms in other schools. Though some believe the model program refers to the square footage requirements defined by New York State and national education standards, Hagerman referred to the model program as a comparison of the size of the classrooms at Greenacres to the three other oldest schools in the district.
He announced that some of the kindergarten, first and second grade classes are "among the largest in the district," and said, "if anything, the fourth and fifth grade classes are small." He said, "We are going back and looking at every assumption and will come forward with an updated report when that information is finalized."
A few Greenacres parents were present at the meeting and waited until the end to comment.
Jon Krisbergh of 107 Greenacres Avenue said, "When the pause for Greenacres was announced I was worried that the administration and the board were re-setting evaluation criteria because one of the options was wholly inadequate and because that option did not solve the problems for the district the problem had to be redefined. We have seen the dangers of false equivalency and the two options should not be viewed as equally viable. The four pillars discussed tonight are not the standards considered before the board heard from those opposed to a new school. Three of the pillars fall under one of the rubrics originally used, i.e. school conditions. I could be wrong but the model program is not just a comparison with other district schools but objective criteria taking into account state standards. To go back and undermine those standards now seems to be disingenuous. The feasibility study listed several criteria including:
- Upfront costs
- Building conditions
- Educational adequacy
- Operational and ongoing costs
- Future expansion capability
- Aesthetic considerations
- Historical and community concerns
- Safety and security
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
I can't believe we are debating whether Greenacres needs or deserves updating
It sounds like we are going down a path where Greenacres will once again be left behind.
Referring to the square footage numbers in the architects feasibility study, Paulina Schwartz of 17 Oakstwain said, "I pointed out that the number were wrong and its incredibly important that the numbers are right.... I hope that the people (who are re-measuring) know what they are doing. Lets put out a comparison chart that is right – and put out floor plans for all the schools. At a minimum, the other schools have maker spaces that are not on that chart. Plus you need to add the new Heathcote cafeteria and Edgewood's brand new library. These can't be added at Greenacres. And I ask – but you never answer me ... Who is doing this analysis? Are we getting a new architect? Are you looking at doing something different or are you looking at doing nothing? Make public where you are going with this. Board members: Hagerman is telling you how fantastic the conditions at Greenacres are. I ask the board members to tour Greenacres. Go without him. Talk to the teachers. He has told you not to talk to them. But they will talk to you ... especially the ones with tenure. You will see why two years ago Greenacres was seen as a top priority for this district. Talk about the safety at drop off and the issues with having kids crossing the street to go to the playground. Go see this school and ask yourself, "Is this a 21st century learning facility?""
Mitch Kahn 198 Brewster Road said, "KG&D made numerous mistakes. They can't get this right. This is incompetence. They have led us down a path. This is shameful. I can't believe we're here again. It seemed like the Board was ready to vote on a renovation and now we're told that Greenacres is fine. We were told that we needed air conditioning in the roof and now we're told to put it in the basement. The only thing that has changed is that people said, we don't want you to renovate with children inside. People got more vociferous. All of a sudden Greenacres is fine! Seems pretty neat and buttoned up. People in Greenacres know that we have been left out of the last two bond issues and that there is more work that needs to be done in the district. If something is not done for our school those things are going to have a difficult time passing."
Dr. Hagerman responded. "I gave a specific update. I did not talk about the future of Greenacres ...I did not talk about a change in our commitment to this work. I talked about a step in challenging the assumptions we are working with this. Teachers have never been told they can't talk about the school! About the conditions or anything else they want to. I want to be sure that we are clear and accurate about the language that we share. There will be much more to talk about Greenacres. We have not lessened our commitment."
Board President Lee Maude also spoke, saying, "Every board member has toured the school including the basement and the boiler room and beyond. We saw every part of that building. Get that fact out there."
Have a comment? Please include your name and we will post it.