By Sophia Stuart

The best part of any meal is taco time. It’s the part of the meal when you’re getting full and you just need to go a little farther to really be satisfied with your meal, the last few steps to the top. So, you grab the nearest flat grain and load it up with everything on your plate. A slice of buttered bread, layered up with chunks of roast and potatoes, a biscuit opened up and gravy, butter, and the last of the sausage and bacon on your plate, garlic bread catching the very last bites of spaghetti, the last half of a tortilla, scooping up what’s left after your last taco, and as we’ve learned hariyali chicken kebabs in a warm light piece of naan. 

Now, if this has not convinced you, if taco time is not the universal experience I think it is then maybe you need to go to the Himamaylan Chimney as humble pilgrims, searching for taco time. If you need more reasons, maybe it’s the bold and unique flavors, the cozy and conversational environment and atmosphere, or the central location in downtown Champaign. Friendly staff, a beautiful interior of polished wood and dark leather, warm and bright lights. It was quiet when we arrived just at five, but when we left at 6:30, it was busy, music playing, the room filled with people enjoying their Saturday. 

We started out with two appetizers, the samosas and the fried Momo. The samosas were fried and filled with a pea stuffing, wrapped in a chewy, yet fair food-esque dough. Don’t let that fool you, they aren’t greasy as you’d expect from fried food. They’re filling and light on the palette, a good use of the two sauces it came with. A mint-jalapeño cilantro dip; the red sauce however is syrupy and light, almost like a Chinese sweet and sour sauce, sweet in the beginning, spicy toward the end, sort of like a chili kick. The fried momo is reminiscent of a Chinese dumpling. We got the chicken variety and they were good, flavorful and well seasoned. However, they are gummy and overall not our favorites. However, my mother, who is a big fan of dumplings, enjoyed them. 

The Hariyali Chicken Kebab is an eye-catching main course. Grilled at high heat in a clay oven and served on a dark slab which contrasts with the bright green sauce of mint and spinach, which leaves a light vegetale sauce with a subtle flavor. The sauce, with its slight sweetness, had added a brightness to the chicken to cut through the chicken’s heaviness. Being well marinated, the flavors are complex and the chicken was tender and well cooked. It’s a perfect dish for those looking to try a new palate, but aren’t sure where to start. 

The other dish we ordered was a chicken curry with naan.  The curry was very well-spiced, enough to make my, an unaccustomed spice-eater, nose run. The chicken was very tender, enough for me to cut with a spoon. It was hearty and warm, the sauce perfect to soak up with a flaky and soft naan. This is where taco time was in full swing- every bite nestled in a piece of naan, which on the first really cold day of fall, was perfect after a long day and the end of the meal. Full disclosure, I’ve also had goat curry here before, which is just as good. 

In all of this, we give The Himamaylan Chimney 3 ½ naan tacos out of 5. Come for the interesting flavors and ample opportunities for taco time, and stay for the wide variety of foods and cozy atmosphere. Don’t be like us, and order just chicken. They have many vegetarian and dairy free options. The Himamaylan Chimney is a place for a casual dinner with friends, as long as you don’t mind a little effort. Taco time does not come to those who are shy about it.