SAMIKCHA MOMO Indian-Nepali Cuisine

Off-the-charts Himalayan-Indian food! The best I've had. Dreaming about their must-get tandoori veggie momos. This spot makes you feel like you traveled very far, to a tiny village in Nepal, when all you did was drive 10 minutes. It has nonstop homemade delicious dishes, like their sumptuous butter chicken, buttery and crispy roti, tandoori momo (one of five different kinds of momos you can choose from!), masala chai, and their samosa chaat. Loved everything and would get most of it again. Real kind guy served our food and checked in on us, never felt rushed, played cards and enjoyed. Recommending this tiny spot to everybody.

5 stars!!!!

At first, I thought we would have Indochinese cuisine, but it turned out to be Indian-Nepali. The food was good nonetheless.

The store gave off a cozy and warm feeling even though the restaurant was small. The staff were nice and friendly.

The food was good. It was my first time eating the Nepali cuisine, but the dishes were up to my taste buds.

My favorite out of all the dishes would be their steamed paneer momo. It tasted really good. If I returned, I would order it again. The second dish I liked would be chicken manchurian. It tasted quite similar to sweet & sour chicken in a Chinese restaurant, but the taste was not really the same. It was delicious nonetheless.

The other dishes were up to par. We ordered one shrimp biryani, one lamb curry, plain naan and masala chai.

In search of a late night restaurant as I had to work late, so we decided to check this place out as the momos were what caught my attention. The menu has quite a few items that it took us a minute to decide what to order. We went with:

1) Lamb biryani - hubs really liked this dish, especially paired with the cucumber yogurt sauce they brought or with the tikka masala. Quite flavorful.

2) Lamb Tikka Masala - the lamb was tender and enjoyed the sauce with the Naan.

3) Butter and garlic naans - both arrived hot. The garlic naan was full of garlic flavor - more so than others we've had. Yum!

4) Momos - Didn't realize they had a variety of ways in which they prepare their momos in addition to the steamed or fried versions that we're most familiar with. So, we decided to try the tandoori style chicken momo. This dish arrived last and was served on a sizzling platter - probably my fave dish. Very flavorful - so good with the onions from the platter. If I wasn't so full, I would've ordered more different versions of their momos to try.

The waiter was very attentive and checked on us very often. Can't wait to return to try other items.

I recently dined at Smikcha in downtown San Mateo, and it was a delightful experience. The first thing that struck me was the cozy and laid-back environment. The restaurant is relatively small, which adds to its charm and intimacy.

Now, let's talk about the food. The Lychee Paneer dish was an absolute standout. The combination of lychee and paneer was unique and incredibly delicious. It paired perfectly with rice, creating a delightful balance of flavors.

As for the garlic naan, it was spot on. The naan was fresh, fluffy, and infused with just the right amount of garlic flavor to complement the meal.

Overall, Smikcha is a hidden gem in San Mateo, offering good food, good service, a relaxed atmosphere, and some standout dishes like the Lychee Paneer. It's a place I would happily visit again.I want to try their Momos.

A delicious Nepalese restaurant that is open late. Might be easy to overlook given it is tucked next to some fairly busy restaurants in San Mateo, but their food is definitely worth checking out. Service is friendly and personal, and the dining area is VERY clean.

The menu has an array of Nepalese dishes as well as various familiar Indian and Chinese items. Of the many dishes I had tried -- all which I'd have again -- the Chicken Momo is what I'd certainly come back for. Think chicken dumpling, but with a distinctively different set of spices and a chutney.

Lots of vegetarian and vegan options here. As far as meats are concerned, you will find chicken, lamb, goat, and fish.