BILLINGS — A new restaurant is bringing the flavors of Nepal and India to downtown Billings while adding new life to a prominent North Broadway storefront.
Curry Bar & Grill recently opened at 119 N. Broadway, taking over the former Bin 119 restaurant location. The restaurant serves a mix of Nepalese and Indian cuisine, including familiar favorites such as butter chicken, curry dishes, and naan bread, alongside Nepalese specialties like dumplings, called momo—a traditional street food.
Learn more about the new restaurant below:
For owner Hemant Bhandari, the opening is the culmination of a journey that began in Nepal and continued through years spent working in restaurant kitchens across the United States.
Bhandari moved to the U.S. more than a decade ago and said he learned the restaurant business from the ground up.
“When I came here, I started with Indian cuisine, and they give me a job. I started cutting, chopping, like preparing everything," Bhandari said. "Then I worked with different chefs. They taught me how to cook different foods."
Over the years, he worked his way up from kitchen prep to cooking and management, gaining nearly a decade of experience in Indian restaurants.
Before opening in Billings, Bhandari and his business partners launched Mt. Everest Nepalese and Indian Bistro in Riverton, Wyo., which they have operated for nearly three years.
When they began looking for a second location, Billings stood out.
"We started looking at how many Indian restaurants there are. Just one," Bhandari said. "Then, we tried to, like think about, okay, let's try there. Maybe we'll try to give good food."
Now, the team has brought its recipes and experience to the Magic City.
The menu reflects both Bhandari's professional background and the foods he grew up eating in Nepal. While Indian and Nepalese cuisines share many ingredients and cooking techniques, Bhandari said each culture puts its own spin on traditional dishes.
"Indian food and Nepalese food are almost similar," he said. "We use same spices to cook food, but the name is different."
Many of those spices are central to the restaurant's offerings. Cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, and other seasonings are used throughout the menu, while fresh naan bread is baked to order in a traditional tandoor oven.
Since opening earlier this month, Bhandari said customers have responded enthusiastically.
“Right now, it's getting busy, like people love food," he said. "We are getting good response.”
As the staff adjusts to a new space and growing demand, Bhandari said quality remains the priority.
"Our food takes time to cook here, and that oven, so that takes a little time. It's not like fast food," said Bhandari.
Curry Bar & Grill is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant currently serves beer and wine and is working to expand to sell liquor.
Related:
Stacked closing downtown Billings restaurant after 11 years
Bin 119 announces closure in downtown Billings
