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The Himalayas may be the planet’s rooftop, but they’re not exactly a garden, and the native fare is subtle and restrained. Like New York’s handful of similar regional restaurants, Himalaya Teahouse serves mainly simple soups, stir-fries, noodles, and momo dumplings. The momo, which the Tibet-born chef hand-rolls with vegetable or meat fillings to the size of stuffed cabbage, also appear in a tasty, clear-brown meat-broth soup called mo-thuk. The most savory dish is sesame-spinach lo mein, prepared with beef, chicken, or tofu and flavored with garlic and nutty black-sesame seeds. But the menu has its pitfalls. Salads are skimpy, and their bitter lemon vinaigrette recalls furniture polish. The Tibetan khapsey dessert—brittle fried crackers that a waiter describes as “an acquired taste”—are indeed so plain, they make matzoh taste like Krispy Kreme. The acknowledged specialty is tea, and over 50 varieties, including rich chai lattes, are served in glass mugs or miniature hobnail iron teapots. Add cheerful primary-color décor, a leafy patio, and a no-minimum policy, and you’ve got a local go-to for tea devotees. — Karen Tina Harrison

Momo dumplings, $8.95-$9.95; mo-thuk soup, $9.95; sesame spinach lo mein, $9.95