Everything You Need to Know About Philly’s Momos
A crash course on what makes an excellent momo and where to find them in Philly.
Sizzling momos at Mount Masala / Photograph by Michael Persico
As a Tibetan American, I can tell you that what makes a good momo is subjective. Every Tibetan and Nepali family has their own recipe, which is, ahem, all the more reason to sample from the spots below.
Momos are hearty, Himalayan dumplings traditionally filled with minced meat, vegetables, and a blend of spices — usually cumin, coriander, and turmeric — which give the dish an earthier and more full-bodied taste than your average potsticker. Made with wheat flour, their doughy skin is tender and chewy — firm enough to be picked up, but not so much that it dominates its flavorful, often soupy filling. As with many soupy dumplings, the trick with momos is to slurp out its delicious broth on the first bite to prevent all the best bits from spilling out.
But if there is one quality that determines a truly great momo, it’s that it must be juicy upon first bite. The dumpling’s rich broth should burst from the dough in a palate-coating symphony of savory meat juices, umami filling, and sweet momo dough. Happily, the restaurants below pass this test.
Mount Masala, Voorhees Township
Mount Masala is worth the trek out to a sleepy strip mall in South Jersey. At this faux-brick-walled, Nepali family-run establishment, the air is thick with the scent of sweet momo dough and a golden Buddha statue gazes benevolently upon diners.
To say nothing of their delicious entrees, Mount Masala boasts a few delightful momo variations. Momos here are more similar to their potsticker cousins: less soupy, more ginger-forward, and the dough is thinner and tastes eggier.
The fried veggie momos here are the best veggie momos you will find in the Philly area. These beautifully fried crescents are just crispy enough for their softer cabbage, potato, onion, carrot, and tofu filling, which tastes like the inside of your favorite veggie samosa. You should also try the chicken sizzling momos, tossed in a sweet and sour chili sauce and brought out still frizzling in the pan; and the chicken johl momos, which float in an ochre-colored broth with whole leaves of fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts, ginger, and garlic. Lime and peanut are the stars of this zippy, tangy broth, which is more intense (but no better or worse) than Nepali Momo Kitchen’s (see below). 300 White Horse Road East #1.
White Yak meat combo / Photograph by Madeleine Palden
White Yak, Roxborough
At White Yak, Tibetan chef Treley Parshingtsang likes to keep it simple. “I pair one spice with each meat: beef with garlic chive, chicken with celery, and pork with cilantro,” she explains. Parshingtsang makes momos that will make you feel like you’d be well taken care of in the high-altitude Himalayas of eastern Tibet, where she is originally from. I cannot recommend the steamed beef momo enough — soul-warming, black pepper-forward, and exquisitely juicy with a lamb-y tasting beef filling. Vegetarians should order the pan-fried cauliflower momo, stuffed with a blend of saffron-colored potato and cauliflower. These are the most authentic Tibetan momos you will find in the Philadelphia area. 6118 Ridge Avenue.
Momos of Tibet, Chestnut Hill
It is hard to believe that Momos of Tibet is Tibetan-owned (it is), but if you’re in the mood for a greasy, Americanized take on momos, this is your place. Nestled in Chestnut Hill’s Market at the Fareway, this tiny shop only offers pre-frozen dumplings that are flattened in the frying pan. The momos here have a breadier, drier dough and a milder filling than most. Steer clear of the beef momos, which are atrocious, but if you’re a fan of pierogies, you’ll enjoy the spinach- and potato-filled dumplings here. 8221 Germantown Avenue.
Veggie tandoori and steamed chicken momos from Nepali Kitchen / Photograph by Madeleine Palden
Nepali Momo Kitchen, Spring Garden
If you’re feeling adventurous, this is your place to explore many, many different varieties of momo — 45, to be exact. Bring a group for lunch (before it gets crowded) and try as many as you can, tapas-style. Vegetarians will enjoy the menu’s delightful antithesis of meat-loving expectations: The first half is vegetarian and the second is non-vegetarian.
I recommend the cheese tikka momo, reminiscent of cheese ravioli in a creamy tikka masala sauce; and the pan-fried, vegetarian tandoori momo, which are filled with onion-y cabbage and then dusted in a beet-red tandoori masala that is as gorgeous as it is punchy. While Nepali Momo Kitchen does not offer the iconic steamed beef momo, the goat johl is a must-order — sweet dough cradling gamey, grassy goat meat, floating in a light, delicious coconut broth. If you’re in the mood for a comforting classic, get the steamed chicken momo, in which the sweet wheat dough really shines, enlivened by a creamy Nepali sauce and dapples of fresh cilantro. 532 North 15th Street.
