The city of Fargo is becoming more and more diverse, and Darbar Palace brings you the “royal aroma of Persia and Asia.”

The restaurant located on Broadway in downtown Fargo has been serving their Indian, Persian, Nepalese and Pakistani cuisine to the Fargo-Moorhead community since their recent opening this past June.

With their inviting, rich flavors, hot spices and much more, Darbar Palace caters to natives of South Asia living in the F-M area, but is also a different dining option available for anyone interested in discovering the traditional dishes of India, Persia, Nepal and Pakistan.

Interestingly, the word “darbar” refers to a big house or palace where people come together.

The restaurant offers a buffet lunch and fine dining. Anyone is sure to find something from their wide variety of options, which includes vegetarian dishes. Additionally, Darbar Palace has non-veggie and veggie family sets and catering options. Along with the variety in food options, the price range is reasonable.

When walking into Darbar Palace, I was welcomed by a warm atmosphere and open arrangement with natural light that seemed to be their primary source of lighting coming from the wide windows. As far as dress code, it is really up to the person.

Kushal Adhikari, a waiter at Darbar Palace, said, “Business has been going well, though it’s pretty unpredictable — some days are busier than others and other factors also affect business.”

“One should try our Persian dishes if it is their first time trying this type of cuisine,” Adhikari suggested. “Our specialties include meat mango, coconut curry, momos and more.”

“I would say that we are the most diversified restaurant around town, offering traditional cuisines of four different countries, and we are happy to be able to share our traditions with the people of Fargo as well as visitors,” Adhikari added.

My friend recommended I try the momos for a starter because she had tried them before and said they were delicious. Momos are a popular Nepalese dish of steamed dumplings made with meat or vegetables and spices to be eaten as an entrée or as a main course. The ones I had were made with chicken and served with achar sauce. They were warm, soft and very good.

Then I had garlic naan, which is a flatbread garnished with garlic and butter and cooked in a round clay oven. I’ve had garlic naan before, and it is very good. It is best to eat it with a scoop of curry and rice on top.

For a main course, I had gheymeh, which is made of diced lamb prepared with peas and tomato sauce, baked and served with rice. The dish was creamy and had a warm aroma. Aside from the split peas and rice being a bit crunchy, I enjoyed the food.

Jimmy and Kelly, who are Fargo residents, were also at Darbar Palace. They explained how they enjoy trying new places and are open to trying foods of different cultures. They both shared their love for having a place downtown for real spicy food and how Darbar Palace has better seasoning in comparison to other places they have been in Fargo.

I myself also do enjoy trying new foods, and I’ve had Indian cuisine quite often, but the diverse course menu at Darbar Palace surely stands out from the others. I will definitely be making a return for the momos and to try out other entrées as well.

Darbar Palace is located on Broadway in downtown Fargo and is open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a lunch buffet and 4:30 to 9:30 p.m for dinner.