Cold Weather Comfort Food At Cafe Tibet

One week ago today, the temperature was in the 90s. Then, rather abruptly, Brooklyn was tossed into fall, which had us digging out our sweaters and thinking about food that will warm us up inside and out. Here in Ditmas Park, we’re lucky to have one of the best restaurants for those chilly days ahead of us in Cafe Tibet (1510 Cortelyou Rd, between Marlborough and E 16th).

If you’ve never had Tibetan food before, you’ll find some familiarity from Indian and Chinese cuisine influences. For a hearty, warming meal on a cold day, start off with butter tea (yes, it does indeed have butter, but not yak butter as would be traditional), then get an appetizer. Try the sha-baklap, a beef patty with spices that’s wrapped in fresh dough and fried, or the momos, available with beef (pictured above), chicken, vegetables, or as a combo with some of each. Sort of like a soup dumpling, a beef momo includes onion and spices, and you have to be careful with that first bite, or you could be covered in the juices that result from the steaming. If you like things a little spicy, try the dipping sauce.

For entrees, you’ll find a lot of options, but if you’re going for straight warmth, stick to one of the soups. Thenthuk features tender, square, homemade noodles and a bit of cottage cheese, along with vegetables and your choice of beef, chicken, or tofu. Thukpa (pictured above) is sort of like a Tibetan ramen, with egg noodles, vegetables, and again, a choice of beef, chicken, or tofu. And again, if you really want to warm up, add some of the spicy sauce.

Got any other favorite dishes for a cold day at Cafe Tibet?

Cafe Tibet is located at 1510 Cortelyou Rd, between Marlborough and E 16th, 718-941-2725. Open daily from 12:30-11pm. Cash only, and BYOB (the deli connected to it has a wide selection of beer). Take-out only, no delivery.