Himalayan Yak, which softly opened its doors on Oct. 4, is officially welcoming guests at 2321 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. For those who are familiar, that's the longtime home of Midwest Diner and more recently the ultimate home for Riviera Maya.
The Bay View restaurant is a second location for the concept, which was founded over a decade ago in Fargo, North Dakota by Padam Gurung. The Milwaukee location is a collaboration between Gurung and local operator Surakchha Lalchan.
Named for the yak, a beast of burden that serves as a primary source of transportation through the Himalayan mountain range that flanks both Nepal and India, the restaurant offers a menu featuring both Indian dishes and Nepalese specialties.
On the menu
Lalchan suggests that guests visit for the lunch buffet, which features between 18 to 20 specialty items and complimentary masala tea. It’s offered Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $16.99 and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $18.99 per person (with a weekend special of goat curry).
In addition to numerous Indian dishes, Himalayan Yak also features numerous Nepalese dishes including Masala Wings (baked crispy chicken wings with Nepalese spices) and Momo (dumplings filled with chicken or vegetables, available steamed or fried).
Entrees include Sukuti Aloo (a dish made with Nepalese beef jerky and potatoes); Jimboo Aloo (potatoes cooked in Nepalese spices); and Thukpa, a traditional Nepalese soup made with vegetables or chicken.
Guests who visit Himalayan Yak through Oct. 13 will receive 15% off their order to celebrate the restaurant’s opening.
Himalayan Yak is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Both dine-in and carry-out are available with delivery for $5 within a five-mile radius of the restaurant.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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