Ever heard of momo cuisine? Me neither—until I discovered it was Nepalese stuffed dumplings and had to check it out. Still, when I walked into Calgary Momo House, in a distant northwest mall, I was overwhelmed by choices. Would you like those little dumplings steamed or wok fried? In what style: tandoori, Szechuan or chili? And filled with mutton, vegetables or paneer?
Fortunately, there was a compromise—a platter of some 10 chicken dumplings, done in three styles and topped with an artful bit of salad. Better yet, this luncheon special was only $13.
As advertised, it was about a 20-minute wait, a sure sign my little Nepali street-food meal was made to order. I must say, it was delightfully different, with little bites of slightly crunchy dumplings dipped in lovely spicy and milder sauces.
Chef Prakash and wife Pooja Ale Magar opened this second Calgary location 18 months ago. It didn’t hurt to be recently featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. And yet when I subsequently dined on a Monday noon hour, I had the place to myself.
Calgary Momo House
410, 20 Crowfoot Crescent NW and one other Calgary location
Daily noon-9 pm
403-660-7043
Marathon Mouth 