Pemba Sherpa has never summited Mount Everest, but two of his restaurants have.
In May, legendary Everest climber Kami Rita carried a small flag bearing the logo for Everest restaurants in Petaluma and Cotati on his record-breaking 30th ascent up the 29,032-foot peak. With eyebrows and lashes encrusted with ice, Rita snapped a quick picture at the snowy summit, planting the small banner and smiling like a man ready for a warm cup of daal.
“He visits our restaurants whenever he comes to California and enjoys traditional Nepalese food, which he yearns for,” said Sherpa, the owner of several restaurants in Sonoma County and a relative of Kami Rita.
“He was so impressed with our food, so he decided to take our logo to the summit to support us,” Sherpa said. When the Cotati outpost of Everest restaurant opened in July, Rita was an honored guest and climbing community celebrity.
Flag-planting on Mount Everest has become a thing for the Sonoma County Sherpas, with Pasang T. Sherpa (Pemba Sherpa’s brother and co-owner of Everest) planting a flag for Sonoma Grille in 2022 and Mingma Dorchi Sherpa (the fastest person to summit the highest mountain on Earth) toting a flag for La Casa restaurant in 2023.
The climb to restaurant ownership
Arriving in their 20s from Nepal, Pemba and Pasang Sherpa worked their way up through the restaurant industry like many of their friends and family. Growing up near the Himalayas, the brothers decided not to become porters or guides, instead seeking a life in the U.S. as restaurateurs.
Pasang has cooked and trekked for Everest expeditions and co-owns Sonoma’s La Casa with Pemba, along with Gyalzen and Mingma Sherpa. Pemba also is involved with Yak and Yeti restaurant in Napa and Himalayan Kitchen in San Rafael. Like many other Nepalese in the burgeoning Sonoma County immigrant community, they share a common surname that means “east people” in Tibetan, though not all are related.
“We are all proud we can bring our hospitality and flavors to our guests. We are also very fortunate this country gives opportunities to everyone who wants to work hard,” said Pemba Sherpa.
A taste of home
Nepalese cuisine was a rarity 20 years ago, even in large cities. I tried yak butter tea and momos for the first time in the late 1990s, shocked by the unfamiliar flavors and textures. Though I’ve never seen yak milk on a menu again (and its gamy flavor wasn’t for me), momos are now commonplace.
Sharing common influences with Indian cuisine, dishes from Nepal often use fresh spices (rather than dried) and signature dishes like momo (stuffed, steamed dumplings) and chow mein are more Chinese than Indian. Daal bhat, a combination of lentils and rice, and Thakali Thali are uniquely Nepalese.
Everest restaurants in both Cotati and Petaluma bring together the three cuisines seamlessly, with a lengthy list of Indian curries, chicken soup with Nepalese spices (thukpa), chow mein, masala, butter chicken, biryani, tandoor and naan. Children and newcomers to the cuisine will find plenty of choices, including pizza, fried rice and kebabs. Dietary restrictions are also easy to work around here, with plenty of plant-based and gluten-free dishes.
Best bets
Thakali Thali ($18-$20): Think of this as a combo platter, with small copper bowls of rice, daal, pickles, papadum, veggies and a choice of protein plus dessert. Vegetarian versions are also available. It’s an efficient menu sampler with smaller portions neatly served on a round metal tray that looks cool.
Chicken Tikka Pizza ($22): Italy meets India in this mashup of creamy tikka masala or red curry sauce paired with marinated chicken, mozzarella cheese, onion, tomatoes and green onions — a great introduction to Indian food.
Lamb Chili Momo ($18.99): Ten lamb-filled momo dumplings covered in a sweet-spicy chili sauce with fresh bell peppers and green onions. The Cadillac of momos.
Paneer Tikka Masala ($17): If you’re going for this classic creamy tomato sauce dish, try it with cubes of Indian cheese rather than the usual chicken or lamb. I like the chew and squeakiness of paneer that straddles the line between cheese curds and cottage cheese. You can also try it with tofu and coconut cream for a vegan version.
Daal Rassam, ($6.50-$7.75): Loaded with garlic, this hearty lentil soup is a flavor bomb rather than the watery, flavorless broth I’ve endured at other restaurants (and put me off the stuff for years).
Chicken 65, ($20): Strips of boneless chicken are bathed in ginger, garlic, egg, lemon juice and spices (cumin, chiles, coriander, pepper, turmeric), then sautéed with fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds. Light and crisp without heavy batter and oiliness.
Apricot Prawn ($18.50): I’m not going to lie; there was a lot more of the creamy apricot sauce than prawns, but the sweet-savory dish is reminiscent of the coconut milk apricot chicken served long ago at the now-shuttered Pamposh restaurant in Santa Rosa. If you’re a walnut prawn fan, you’ll like this.
Naan, Kulcha, Roti, Chapati ($3 to $4.50): Indian-style breads are for sopping up every last bit of sauce. Fluffy naan with butter is my favorite, but kulcha (a cousin to naan, often stuffed with cheese or onion) is a runner-up. Roti is an unleavened bread cooked in a tandoor, while chapati (also unleavened) is cooked on a griddle with ghee or butter.
Everest Restaurant in Cotati is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. daily. 572 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-795-7680, everestcotati.com. The sister Petaluma restaurant is at 56 E. Washington St. and has the same hours and a similar menu.
