Mumbai may not be known for the popular Tibetan dish, but we found six joints that serve a mean platter of the dumplings. Dig in
Steamed pork momo. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Darjeeling express
When Kunal Singh realised he couldn't do without the quintessential flavours from his home in Darjeeling, he opened an eatery in Andheri. Now, it's frequented by the likes of Imtiaz Ali. On offer are juicy steamed pork momos (Rs 160; Rs 30 for chicken) made with onion and butter. The vegetarian option comes without frills where pork is replaced with cabbage.
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Kunal Singh
"People often ask us to use carrot or mushroom, but we refuse because that takes away from the authenticity," Singh explains. Sadly, however, for those who like a kick in their momo chutney, the mellowed down version here, made with tomato, chilly and garlic, might be a letdown. But we are grateful that it isn't green chutney
or mayonnaise!
Time 1 pm to 12 am
At The Darjeeling, New Link Road, Andheri West.
Call 49722373
Adda for college goers
Bang in the middle of clothing stores and overpriced restaurants up August Kranti Marg, is Dev's Momos Hut, a humble stall that offers steamed chicken, vegetarian and paneer momos for (R70). Dev, the owner of the kiosk opens shop late evening, and his most loyal clients are the students at Sophia College.
Steamed chicken momo
Our favourite however is the chicken momo which is served piping hot, loaded with succulent meat and accompanied by a diluted tomato and garlic chutney that weirdly works well with the filling.
Time 5.30 pm to 10.30 pm
At 142, August Kranti
Marg, Malabar Hill.
Call 7710826691
Our friends from the North East
Sreejana Rai's little eatery is a spillway for North Eastern cuisine and a one-stop shop for Mumbaikars to try it out. Here, the steamed chicken momos (R100) are comforting and simple, the way they should be. The sauce, too, unlike the runny variants served in most places, is piquant, garlicky and thick.
Aamchi momo. Pic/Nimesh Dave
For the sake of experimenting, we try the aamchi momo (R160), a homage to the city, which is a plate of fried chicken dumplings tossed in a kimchi-like substitute made with cabbage and hot chilli sauce.
Steamed chicken momo
It is finished off with a generous serving of grated cheese that we take a liking to despite our initial reservations.
Time 11.30 am to 11.30 pm
At Dumpling Khang, Vakola, Santacruz East.
Call 9004889289
The hottest of them all
Bishal Tirva's unsuccessful hunt for momos — like the ones he grew up eating in Kalimpong — culminated in his own venture in Mumbai, which specialises in variations of the hilly comfort food. "Growing up, weekends meant family gatherings where everyone would sit around a plate of momos.
Veg cheese momo. Pics/Bipin Kokate
The recipe is the same, except that here, in the steamed momo [R120] chicken replaces pork, as the latter doesn't have many takers in the city," says Tirva.
Bishal Tirva
They also serve options like chicken and cheese (R150), chilly chicken, masala momo and a veg option made with cheese, paneer and onion. The USP here is the chutney made with tomato and dalle, a deadly hot Bhutanese chilli.
Time 8 am to 1.30 am
At Finding momos. (Lower Parel and Goregaon West for delivery only).
Call 7001612352 (Goregaon)
Momos mushrooming
A couple of years ago, Suraj Lama's was the only widely recognised authentic momo stall in town. Now, there are many worthy competitors dotting the streets of Versova. Run by people from the North East, the momos here are unlike the fraudulent, garam masala-laced variant. But why are these haunts mushrooming? Perhaps because the suburbs are bustling with people looking for a quick fix at a reasonable rate.
Momos serve that purpose. It's why during a recent survey conducted by a food aggregator, the food item was rated as one of India's preferred go-to snacks. Down the road from Lama's stall is The Himalayan Cuisine, which serves chicken momos (R70). They need a bit of work on the flour casing, but the minimally-spiced filling makes up for it.
Time 4 pm to 10 pm
At Versova Beach Road, Andheri West.
Call 9137402675
Chicken momo. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The early starter
This stall that is located at the landmark Mandir-Masjid crossing in Yari Road is one of the earliest to the post. It was one of the first places in the area that served quality chicken momos (R80), and the good news is that they have maintained standards over the years.
Their marketing game is also on point, considering they send regular messages to loyal customers reminding them to try the fare again. It's something that the other stalls in the area would do well to emulate. For, word of mouth will only get you that far in a congested foodie zone.
Time 1 pm to 10.30 pm
At Masjid-Mandir crossing, Yari Road, Versova.
Call 9833213759
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