A little taste of Tibet

Every so often, I get bored with greasy pizza and easily unremarkable sandwiches. I needed something new, something exotic. In my search for a new culinary adventure, I stumbled into the Snow Lion restaurant.\nLocated a few short blocks from campus, Snow Lion is a Tibetan themed restaurant. Once inside the doors, you are greeted with a display case selling various traditional Tibetan knickknacks. My companion and I were quickly shown to our table in our own little corner of the restaurant.\nSnow Lion's interior creates a subdued and comfortable atmosphere. Delicate pottery and mirrors creates an inviting ambiance, while small lamps on the table ensure pleasant lighting during your dinning experience. Mellow Tibetan music adds to the atmosphere, loud enough to fill those awkward silences, but soft enough to allow a pleasant conversation. \nSnow Lion offers up a variety of Tibetan dishes that are modified for the western palate. The menu also contains a variety of Japanese, Chinese and Cajun themed dishes. The diverse menu is large enough to accommodate even the fussiest of eaters. In addition, the level of spiciness is customizable, ensuring that you will be happy with what you ordered.\nThe service seemed somewhat flaky, but the meal was brought out quickly and everything was run with efficiency. \nThe meal began with a salad. The salad itself was unremarkable, the dressing on the other hand was unique. Snow Lion uses its own tangy homemade dressing that seems akin to ranch dressing without the buttermilk. \nAfter the salads, my companion and I ordered agedashi. Agedashi is lightly fried tofu served with a honey-peanut sauce. The tofu itself was light and tasty, but the sauce brought the appetizer to a completely new level. The sauce was excellent, combining a sweet taste with an enjoyable spicy kick.\nFor the main course, I had exotic chicken, while my companion had mo mo dumplings. The spice level at Snow Lion is on a scale of one to five, one being normal, five being a challenge to the chef to see how spicy they can make the dish. I ordered my dish at a spice level of four while my companion ordered her dish at a level of one.\nThe exotic chicken was aptly named. I was presented with a large plate overflowing with food. Exotic chicken is small bites of chicken mixed with peppers, cabbage and other vegetables over a bed of rice. While it proved to be rather spicy, the spiciness did not detract from the mouth-watering flavor. The chicken itself was tender. The rice was cooked perfectly, and the vegetables were unobtrusive, allowing the spices to take center stage. \nMo mo beef dumplings are a traditional Tibetan dish. At Snow Lion, you are presented with ten dumplings and a heaping portion of fried rice.\nThe dumplings were heavenly. Fried beautifully, the ends were crispy adding a nice crunch, the rest of the dumpling was soft and delicate. The meat inside the dumplings was seasoned to perfection, leaving it tender and amazingly tasty. The dumplings were served with a salty soy sauce for dipping that further intensified the flavor. Ambrosia could not taste this good; it was almost sinful the way the saltines of the dipping sauce intertwined with the smooth taste of the dumplings.\nThe fried rice that was served with the mo mo dumplings was not your typical fried rice. The rice had a unique taste that complimented the dumplings nicely. While the dumplings alone were not enough for a dinner, the fried rice nicely balanced out the meal and left my companion feeling full.\nFor desert, my companion and I split a cup of green tea ice cream. The ice cream was creamy and refreshing, adding a good finishing touch to a wonderful meal.\nOverall, I would recommend Snow Lion to anybody who wants to try something new. The agedashi was a great appetizer that titillated the tastes buds. I urge you to try the mo mo dumplings, either as an appetizer or as your main course.