Novato resident Deepak Bhandari and his father-in-law, Hari Dhital, bring a wealth of restaurant experience to downtown San Rafael with last month’s opening of Everest Curry & MoMo House.

The family-run venture brings together Bhandari’s background in fine dining and hospitality, including co-owning the original Everest Curry Bar & Grill in Texas, and Dhital’s 17 years as a chef at Viks Chaat, a popular Indian street food restaurant in Berkeley.

The expansive menu fuses Nepalese and Indian flavors and features signature dishes like momo— steamed dumplings filled with vegetables, chicken or goat — and keema samosa, a crisp pastry stuffed with spiced ground meat.

Traditional curries range from creamy butter chicken and slow-simmered dal makhani to deeply spiced lamb rogan josh. The tandoor oven turns out plates of tandoori chicken, shrimp and wings, and Nepalese comfort foods include thukpa (a warming noodle soup) and sukuti (dried, spiced meat). For variety, the chef’s thali platters offer a selection of dishes in one meal.

Spices are ground and blended in-house, allowing the chefs to create layers of heat, aroma and depth in each dish. Diners can customize the spice level to their preference, from mild to fiery.

Bhandari, who manages the front of the house, has spent 20 years in the industry, including several as a service manager at Junoon, a modern Indian restaurant in New York that was awarded one Michelin star for eight consecutive years starting in 2011.

More recently, at Everest Curry’s Texas location, he took pride in crafting creative cocktails behind the full bar — a passion he plans to revive with wine-based beverages once a small bar area is completed in the back of the restaurant. Beer, lassi (rose, salt and mango), masala chai and fresh lemonade are also on the menu.

Dhital, who moved to the United States from Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2005, leads the kitchen alongside Bhandari’s brother, Prakash Bhandari, an accomplished chef who will arrive later this month after training his successor in Texas. Prakash has traveled extensively throughout India to hone his craft, developing a deep knowledge of regional cuisines that will be reflected in the restaurant’s daily specials.

The team spent 10 months giving the modest space a full refresh, updating the former Bombay Grill with new paint from floor to ceiling, upgraded kitchen appliances and traditional Indian décor, as well as oversized framed prints of Nepal that line the walls.

Everest Curry & MoMo House is open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays at 1444 Fourth St. in San Rafael. A lunch buffet is available from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Find more information and place online orders at everestcurrynmomohouse.com or call 415-455-0444.

Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with comments and find more local food news at therealdealmarin.com.