Holy yak! Look at those sha momos!

And by sha momos, I mean beef dumplings, duh. The Tibetan kitchen is a unique experience, with influences from both India and Nepal. Culinary traditions reflect the mountainous Himalayan landscape with typical dishes using noodles, goat, dumplings, soups, cheese and yak. Recently opened in Brunny East, Shimbu is a small family-owned restaurant presenting the finest Tibet has to offer.

Following on from their previous project, Wild Yak, in Northcote, owner Dorje Wolokh and his fam decided to shake up Lygon street, Tibetan style.Shimbu features a mix of traditional and modern Tibetan dishes. From curries to cumin-infused lamb ribs, the variety appeals to all tastes, both classic and contemporary. The reasonably priced cocktails and beers are also crowd-pleasers, with a range of mouth-watering concoctions topped with fresh fruit.We dabbled in both the traditional and modern menus, starting with the popular fried sha momos - fried beef dumplings. Now these ain't your ordinary dumplings. These are like a cross between deep fried, thick-skinned dim sims and gyoza. Paired with fresh chilli and hot sauce, these bad boys went down a treat!

For a contemporary contrast, we also ordered the spicy pork belly soft tacos with avocado, served on crispy roti instead of the usual tortilla. SO. GOOD. They were an ideal kicker for the feast to come. Our mains included the solo, a spicy stir fry with meat and fresh chilli, and the chasa bedhai, a mild chicken curry made with coconut milk. Both servings were overwhelmingly generous, with a distinctive bite in each mouthful. Spice lovers will appreciate these authentic recipes!

We finished on a sweet note with coconut ice cream sprinkled with coconut shavings. Satisfied to say the least, we left feeling content and perhaps a little tipsy, but that's quite alright.