Norbu Lancaster
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There are moments in life when you set out in search of dinner and instead discover a small, benevolent corner of the universe. My wife, acting as both navigator and oracle, found Norbu after I asked for something within walking distance of our hotel. Four Himalayan restaurants, all within a short stroll, which felt statistically suspicious in the heart of Amish country. We chose Norbu because it had the best reviews and, more importantly, because it offered Nepalese and Bhutanese dishes, which none of us had ever tried. We are a family that tries to make it a point to say yes to the unknown. Finding it is part of the adventure. Norbu is tucked along North Christian Street, though calling it a street feels optimistic at best. It is more of a very committed alley. The restaurant sits inside an office building with a few brave parking spaces placed carefully on postage stamp sized lot out front. Had we been driving, I am certain we would have missed it and continued on, poorer for the experience. Fortunately, we were on foot and arrived intact. Inside, the place was alive at 7 PM. There were low tables with stools that suggested a more traditional way of dining, and a couple of unoccupied standard tables for those of us still learning. We took one of the latter and were seated quickly. We began with momo, a dish that seems like could quietly solve many of the world's problems if placed on the right tables. Soft, hand folded dumplings, steamed and served with a savory chutney. We ordered the "Mix It All" option, which gave us vegetable, beef, and chicken. Each had its own personality, its own quiet argument for why it should be your favorite. My older son ordered the Sweet N Sticky Tofu, which was the most familiar thing we ate all night. It tasted like a thoughtful conversation between General Tso and sesame tofu. Very good, very well executed, just less novel. I had the Pak Sha Datsi, the national dish of Bhutan, which I did not know until I read it on the menu and our server filled in the missing information with patience and enthusiasm. Norbu itself, we learned, is rooted in Himalayan traditions and a desire to share the food and culture of Nepal and Bhutan with a wider audience, which feels like a noble use of time. The dish arrived as a gently spiced stew with pork and a blend of aged and smoked cheeses. It was creamy, delicate, and somehow grew more interesting with every bite. It did not resemble anything I had eaten before, which is a rare and welcome thing as I grow ever older. My wife and younger son both ordered the Nepali Thali, a kind of edible symphony made up of curry, lentils, vegetables, chutneys, pickles, and a dessert pudding. My wife chose the fish curry, which was tender and lightly flavored. My son chose the chicken curry, which quietly became the star of the table. It had a familiar warmth, something like Indian curry, but with its own distinct voice. The accompanying mustard greens, curried potatoes, and a simple mix of green beans, corn, and carrots, were so flavorful that we found ourselves marveling at them like tourists at a natural wonder. Service was excellent. Our waitress guided us through the menu, made thoughtful suggestions, and shared a bit of the restaurant's story. By the end of the meal, we felt not just fed, but informed. Our only failure was not saving room for dessert. There was a chai flavored cashew cheesecake that sounded like it might change a person's outlook on life. We will have to return to test this theory. Norbu is the kind of place you hope to find and rarely do. It is hidden, a little hard to reach, and entirely worth the effort. Five stars, because sometimes you find something amazing and new, and that reminds you that the world is still full of good surprises.
Never a Daal Moment Family-owned Bhutanese and Nepalese restaurant located in Downtown Lancaster. For the uninitiated, this type of cuisine is similar to Indian food, that leans heavier on the daal (lentils), generally less spicy, and uses simpler cooking techniques of mostly boiling and stur-frying. And, if you're a dumpling junkie, like myself, definitely give their Momos a try! We arrived here to try their Sunday lunch buffet and were not disappointed. The Good: *Reservations for parties of five or more *Sunday Brunch Buffet 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. & $18/ea is a steal *Friendly service *Their house Chai is excellent. *If you love fruit with Brunch then man are you gonna be in for a treat! Their fresh berries were fantastic and so fresh. *Pekoras were solid and worth a go. Make sure to get some chutney to dip them in. *I don't think I tried anything that wasn't good and/or decent. The Meh: *No momos during the Buffet :( The Ugly: *Location is kinda hidden inside an office building. I'd have had a hard time finding it if we weren't with locals showing us around. Conclusion: Fantastic little HiTW spot with great service and delicious food. Next time we're having an actual meal here.
Oh what a delicious food! That was my first time in a hymalaian restaurant and what a nice surprise! Very beautiful restaurant, the food is super fresh, my husband got the chicken Hymalayan Masala and I got Aloo Saag and it's perfect
Next time I'm in Lancaster, I'm going back again! The food was delish - shareable portions, great flavor, fresh ingredients. The service was 10/10, they were busy but our waitress was attentive, kind, and knowledgeable. We ate outside, on their small patio (this post is long overdue), and I'm glad we did, because indoor seating I think would've been too loud to hear/talk comfortably. Decorations were beautiful. I love how the menu was split between Himalayan and Nepalese cuisine.
I arrived to Norbu with an open mind, anticipating unique flavor profiles, delicious cuisine in a serene atmosphere. There were many favorable experiences offered, that I delighted in seeing. Loved the homemade preparations showcasing freshness, quality, cultural roots and simplicity. A strawberry lassi, served in a copper goblet, was super creamy, sweet/tart, cold and refreshing. Mix It All Momos, served alongside a creamy tomato sauce. A vegetable momo, with minced, raw, under seasoned veggies within, had me perplexed, wondering if this was a mistake or how it should be served. Both meat and chicken fillings were cooked, tender, mildly seasoned with a hint of fresh ginger. The accompanied creamy tomato sauce, held little flavor. I even tasted the sauce, without the momo, working my tastebuds into a frenzy, while attempting to find a distinquishable flavor component; I was perplexed, but I did notice a subtle heat. Main entree - Fish Thali. What a divine experience this was, visually. A huge metal, round serving plate, with an assortment of veg, potato, soup, chutney, rice, pickle & dessert. Per our waitress, "mix it all in," to get the total experience. Initially, I tried it all on it's own, with rice and then, I mixed every last bit. The mustard seed sauce, was so overwhelmingly bitter and oily, that it masked the flavors of the delicate fish. I found the overall flavor components, unpleasing and not complementary of one another: bitter greens, warmed curry potatoes, a smallish mash of cold curry potatoes, mildly seasoned watery lentil soup, a pungent pickle, thick, sweet fruit chutney and slightly congealed rice pudding. It was all an experience, but not for me.
Outstanding. I was so into the food that I honestly forgot to take any photos. Everything I had was insanely delicious. I don't recall eating a single dish that made me wish I had gotten something else from the buffet. I suppose the big winner, for me, was the shrimp in the sauce, over the bed of rice. Reckon I'll dream about that dish for the rest of my life. Really neat restaurant too. Great decorations. Felt super cozy and comfortable. Being a BYOB is a nice feature, as well. I'd probably rather eat at Norbu than almost anywhere else in Lancaster. It was that great.
Visited this spot out of curiosity and high yelp ratings. The exotic decoration inside looks like Tibet Buddhism style, a good place to refresh yourself. It's rare to have Himalayan cousins so I ordered one based on the photo shared online. The texture of the crispy shell in that dish is special for me. For the service, the waiter is pretty welcoming.
A calm corner in downtown Lancaster -- learning through flavor at Norbu. Norbu is a restaurant located in North Christian Street that shares Bhutanese and Nepalese home-style food with the city. The place feels calm and welcoming, filled with colorful decorations and quiet background music. I tried Datsi, a dish made with cheese and chili, and learned that it's cooked with yak milk, which gives it a rich and different flavor. It was spicy and creamy at the same time, something I had never tasted before. The Himalayan Masala was served with layers of warm spices that made it both sweet and comforting. The owner told me their menu was inspired by family recipes, leading to exciting flavor differ from traditional Western food . Bathing in the peaceful music and the exotic decoration of Buddhism is definitely a fresh and new experience.
Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the fresh, flavorful food, dietary-friendly menu, and a unique, cozy atmosphere. Service is also described as friendly and attentive.
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1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
Gluten Free (GF), allergy-free, vegan, vegetarian heaven! My colleagues and I were thrilled to find Norbu-Lancaster after some other colleagues mentioned where their group was going to eat. Ok. I haven't had onion rings in years because GF O-rings? Meh. Not only did I have Norbu's rings with a crispy chick pea flour batter, we also ate cauliflower samosas. I had chicken fingers (also for the first time in forever) while my colleagues got to enjoy delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes. (Apologies because I've been so busy I'm behind on reviews and forgot what they had, but there will be pictures.) The surroundings were beautifully colorful, and one of the owners provided excellent, friendly service. In fact, when I asked about specific allergens in the dessert we wanted, she called her sister who made it to ask. Soooo happy I could have the peanut butter cup dairy free "cheese" cake. Oh my word!!! Silkiest, creamiest, most delicious dessert any of us had eaten in maybe ever. And it happened to be GF, dairy free, soy free, and vegan! I think this might be my first 5-star review. Norbu was marvelous. read more
3 years ago
What a gem: the food, the atmosphere, & the owner and waitstaff! I thought about being selfish & keeping this place to myself, but they deserve your patronage. My 1st time trying Bhutanese/Nepalese food, so no point of comparison, but let me tell you that my partner & I left there so happy. Was staying nearby for a few nights, but would gladly make the 1+ hr drive from home to dine here again. We had the singara aloo (potato/peas filled), mixed momo, beef & chicken datsi & of course the onion rings everyone raves about. Loved it all. Nice heat to the datsi & onion ring dipping sauce, but not overpowering. Onion ring sauce was also sweet. My partner asked if they sell it by the bottle, he enjoyed it that much. There is a parking lot, but looked like only 2 spots for Norbu (others are reserved spots), but parking nearby. Only thing with my daysi is that cheese sauce was quite thin & not exactly as shown in other pictures, but hey - homemade, there will be variations & was still good. Give this local family-run spot a try. I'm confident you will not regret it. Thank you for giving us a chance to try this food, Norbu! We will most definitely return. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
Very exotic setting, decorated beautifully, very tasty, rich and creamy. Service very good. Chicken was acceptable but a little tough to chew and dried out. Veggies delicious. Will come again but would order tofu. read more
Is it weird to come to Lancaster and your favorite restaurant is a Bhutanese/Nepali restaurant. Maybe we had low expectations but this place was a perfect date night restaurant. We were still full from our buffet lunch and was planning to take it easy. Norbu had its own parking lot which was huge and spacious. We walked through the building entrance and was greeted by beautiful murals and the artist was still in the midst of his work. I should have taken some pictures. The restaurant is beautifully and tastefully decorated. There's a section where they had low tables and seat (almost floor seating) and regular table seating. We immediately opted for floor seating. Love the low chairs and being able to sit almost cross legged while enjoying my food. As we are originally from Asia, we have experienced a wide array of Asian food but I have never tried Bhutanese food. Our order consisted of onion fritters, the chicken thali and the pak sha datshi with pork shoulders. Drinks were the Himalayan black tea and milk tea iced. The Husband commented that even the crockery and serving ware were authentic. Onions fritters were properly battered and deep fried morsels of yumminess. Paired with their house hot sauce, it made our weary stomachs hungry and whetted our appetites. The thali is similar to an Indian version and the chicken was soft and moist. Finally the datshi is the first time I ever ate a dish and immediately wished I ordered a vegetarian version. Huge chucks of pork shoulder and broccoli coupled with a light slight spicy cheesy sauce combined to one of the most amazing bites I had on this trip. The cheese sauce is one of the most savory, delicate and complex cheese sauce I had. They had an option for the cheesy sauce noodles - I should have ordered that with chicken and broccoli. The pork shoulder was melt in your mouth delicious but for my own personal preference, I would have preferred chicken or just plain broccoli to allow the wonderful sauce to shine. Just realized I wrote a whole paragraph about some cheese sauce but it was that tasty folks. It may get too much for people if you are not a cheese lover. But I adore cheese so bring it on. The teas were very refreshing and much needed for the flavorful food. If I had more time, I would come back for another meal. If we are ever in Lancaster, this is the first place I am coming back to. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Nice experience, hard to get to location. Servers great despite slight mishap in order. Ordered some more for takeout only to realize I was charged for an item and didn't receive it. Oh well. Despite that, food was delectable. Hubby enjoyed as did I. Toddler drank all my tea! read more
5 years ago
Love it! Very friendly staff and clean. We went for lunch and the portions were huge and came with soup and salad. Flavorful, light and refreshing. Maybe scale down the portions during the lunch time would be my only suggestion. Will go again. read more
5 years ago
I had ordered Lamb Thali and I have to admit that this was one of the best Lamb Thali that I tasted so far. I usually order Lamb Thali in many of the Himalayan restaurants that I visit and believe me, I have eaten and tasted a lot of lamb thalis :) . For starters, we had Himalayan onion rings, and beef Momo. My son and I both loved it. My wife could not stop raving about the beef datshi she had ordered. It was just the way she loved it-hot and spicy. Service was excellent and I truly loved the ambiance of the place. Truly gives you a homely feeling. Great place to dine with your family and they are BYOB. You should definitely check this place out if you are so me one who loves to try out good food and has a taste for spicy cuisine although there are plenty of options as well for those who don't like too much spices in their food. read more
4 years ago
This was my second time here and this time I brought a bunch of girlfriends. Needless to say, they all loved it! We shared the momo veggie dumplings, Himalayan onion rings and pakora for appetizers and everyone loved them. I shared the fish thali entree and the pork datsi with my friend and she and I especially loved the fish thali! We had a great time tonight, and we love that this restaurant is byob - really keeps the cost down. We tipped the staff very generously tonight for their delicious food, great service (even with a packed house) and as a Christmas gift! Thank you Norbu & Merry Christmas! read more
5 years ago
Fabulous meal, start to finish! Nice ambiance/decor, expertly prepared food, great service, friendly owner. I started with the vegetable Momos (food porn). Highly recommend. Melted in my mouth. Two dipping sauces, both delicious. Then had the Shamu Datsi (vegetarian mushroom entree). Flavor explosion! Wanted to lick the plate, but didn't. It was my birthday and was given complimentary donuts after my entree. Dessert was Desi (saffron rice with butter and raisins). Amazing flavor. I have nothing but glowing praises for the quantity/ratio, service, freshness, food served hot etc... Beat a path here and support this local business! read more
5 years ago
New place in town, you absolutely have to try it! I could smell the flavorful food the minute I stepped out of my car. I ordered the sweet and sticky sesame chicken and momo chicken dumplings for take out. The sesame chicken came with a side of rice. The dumplings were flavorful enough to be had on their own but they came with two sauces. I have no idea what they were but they were yummy. One was a little spicy, kinda reminded me of chimichurri, and the other one was mild and savory. The chicken was sweet but not overpowering. If I had to be nit picky I do wish the chicken was on the crunchier side but it feels as if it was oven baked and not fried (so I get bonus points for being healthier). The rice just tasted like good old rice which was perfect with all the flavors already going on. The staff was also friendly. The vibe of the restaurant looked cute. Definitely a hidden gem date night spot. Wishing the best for this new business. I will definitely be back to order this again! read more
tl;dr: super cozy establishment with amazing service, even more amazing food, and SPICY I repeat SPICY options (no regrets)! ~ the service (5/5) ~ We arrived to Lancaster as a destination on our road trip and thought we'd try Bhutanese food which no one in our party had tried before. I had found this place on yelp as it was highly reviewed and didn't know what to expect. As soon as we walked in we could tell that this is a place for locals and travellers alike- the decor was super cozy with some traditional tables with little squat stools which I loooved! Our waitress told us that even though there was a bit of a wait she'd make sure to tell the kitchen that our orders were coming if we cut it too close to the time that the kitchen would close, which I was touched by. ~ the food (5/5) ~ Shrimp Dahtsi (5/5): cheesy, spicy, deliciousness. SUPER flavorful and also super generous portions.You get to choose your spice levels, and as I alluded in my tl;dr be aware that they are not joking when they talk about their spice levels. I, for one, am a spice fiend to the detriment of my stomach, so after a very informative conversation with my waitress about how most people think a 7/8 is a lot of heat, I went ahead and ordered a 9. Let's just say pepto was needed later that evening. Mango Lassi (5/5): The mango lassi was thinner than I am used to but still quite delicious. Also super necessary after eating the spicy Dahtsi. Paratha (5/5): A lovely bread that was super fresh and hot! read more
Maybe for the Lancaster area this place is better than most, but I was disappointed with the flavor and quality of the food here. However, the service here is great and the staff are super friendly. The interior is cute, and I loved the traditional seating area. The momos were the best thing we got, but they just tasted like ordinary dumplings. The phuta noodles were basically inedible because of how salty the dish was; it was so salty it made my tongue hurt. Lastly, my friend and I tried the thali with chicken and weren't impressed. Everything on the tasting platter was average or below average. The flavors were familiar but unfortunately lacking compared to other Nepalese places I've gone to. read more
5 years ago
Norbu is fantastic! So many vegan and vegetarian options. Everything I've ever eaten here has been delicious. Add to that friendly service and a clean restaurant and this place is definitely a keeper. Try the vegan cheesecake, you won't be disappointed! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
Came for the lunch buffet on Thursday. I always enjoy a buffet when I am unfamiliar with the food, it makes me feel better that I can try everything and don't have to commit to ordering 1 or 2 dishes and hoping I like them. I also really appreciate their ample vegan options - I was slightly worried that they would only have 1 or 2, but they had 10!!! We enjoyed it every much, and will def be back the next time we do not work on a weekday. Also I really appreciated that they were responsive on Facebook messenger for any questions we had. Thanks Norbu!! read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
The former Characters Pub has been reclaimed by this new spot. It is unrecognizable inside. Brand new appearance. Our food was tasty. The server was so delightful. I'm looking forward to trying new items to have a more complete picture of all that Norbu has to offer. The momo sizzler was the clear stand out. I also loved the paratha. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Delicious food - and very cool to get an authentic taste of food from Bhutan and Nepal. The owner was our waitress- she was so friendly! Had an awesome experience! Definitely recommend when in downtown Lancaster. read more
5 years ago
I'm surprised this restaurant doesn't have more reviews considering how great the food is. I've been here two times now, and it has been delicious both times. I remembering hearing about a new Bhutanese restaurant coming to town and I was ecstatic to see a new addition to an already diverse food scene. I was not disappointed when I came on its grand opening; the mango lassi, momos, and sikam (dried pork belly) datsi were delicious. On my second visit, I ordered a strawberry lassi, cauliflower pakora, and sekuwa with pork shoulder. Again, I was not disappointed and my friends were impressed. The staff were friendly and I enjoyed the ambiance. I look forward to coming again in the future. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
All I can say is Wow! This Bhutanese and Nepalese food was absolutely amazing! The variety of herbs, spices and flavors made this one of my favorite meals ever! All of the meat was so tender that it melted in my mouth. The fish was outstanding! Highly recommend this hidden gem! Excellent service and food! A huge bonus for me is that almost all of the items on the menu are gluten free!! I have Celiac and struggle to have many options to choose from on most menus. Not here! At Norbu, I can eat about 90-95% of the items on the menu! Try it out! You won't be disappointed! read more
3 years ago
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4 years ago
Everything was delicious! We got the full spice on the spicy noodles (which is what we wanted) and WOW! It really packs a punch! If you don't like spice make sure to order it mild. Their flavors are so unique. We loved everything and we will definitely be back! read more
5 years ago
Food and services was great! Decent ambiance, Reasonably priced. Veggie Monos were full of flavors. BYOB!! Looking forward to going back there again. read more
5 years ago
More info about Norbu Lancaster
38 N Christian St
Lancaster, PA 17602
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(717) 208-7293
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