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YORKTOWN, N.Y. - The economy may be struggling, but business is booming at Jewel of Himalaya Restaurant in the Triangle Shopping Center in Yorktown.
Since opening six weeks ago, owner Nuru Sherpa said he has served 4,600 customers, and he treats each one like a member of the family.
"My principle here is I want to see every customer smiling in my restaurant," he said. "Come as a guest, leave as a friend."
Jewel of Himalaya is the fourth restaurant Sherpa has owned. He opened his first in Manhattan in the east village in 1989. In 1997, he opened another restaurant in Poughkeepsie, where he lives, and two years ago he brought his Himalayan touch to the waterfront in Yonkers, which has proven to be a prime location.
"We've been blessed," said Sherpa, whose wife, Ang Dati, and brother, Pasang, also work in the Yorktown restaurant. "The economy doesn't bother me. Whether it's good or bad, people still have to eat. Our menu is very reasonably priced. We enjoy seeing customers enjoy our food and ambiance."
Besides the popularity of the Triangle and its ample parking, Sherpa said he felt Yorktown residents deserved a quality restaurant after he and his brother waited 10 minutes one day to even be greeted at another restaurant in town where they stopped for lunch.
"I want to introduce a new way where we can serve and deliver quality food with A+ service," he said. "Some of my customers have been here 15 times already since we opened."
Customers will find some similarities in the dishes at Jewel of Himalaya to Chinese and Indian cuisine, but Sherpa said they specialize in less rice and bread and more vegetables and meat, with plenty of cilantro and ginger. They also offer vegetarian and vegan meals, and seafood dishes.
Sherpa is also committed to having a spotless kitchen and restrooms.
"My bathrooms and kitchen are my first priority. It has to be clean. If it's not clean, I don't open," he said. "I don't want one drop of dust on the floor."
Jewel of Himalaya is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. It also has take-out, delivery and on-line orders, and Sherpa expects to receive his liquor license in a few weeks.
For further information, visit www.jewelofhimalaya.com, or call (914) 302-2886.
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