Beyond Momo: Nepali Dishes to Try in Denver

For a lot of people in Denver, Nepali food starts and ends with momo. Fair enough. They're great. But Nepali cooking has a lot more going on: smoky grilled meat, sour bamboo shoots, tangy pickles, and a Himalayan pepper that makes your lips buzz.

These are the Nepali dishes we'd point you to next.

How Nepali food differs from Indian food

The two share a lot: lentils, rice, and many of the same spices. Nepali food uses less cream, more mustard oil, and more fermented and pickled flavors. It also uses timur, a relative of Sichuan pepper that makes your mouth tingle. Tibetan and Newari traditions add dumplings, noodles, and spiced grilled meats. For the background, read What Is Nepali Food?

Jhol momo

If you've only had momo steamed or fried, try them jhol. The dumplings sit in a warm, tangy, spiced sauce that's somewhere between a soup and a chutney. It's a Kathmandu favorite and exactly what you want on a cold Denver night.

Buff momo

In Kathmandu, the classic filling is buffalo, usually shortened to "buff." It's richer and more savory than chicken, and it's the momo a lot of Nepalis grew up eating. We also do chicken, vegetable, and pork.

Chicken choila

Choila comes from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. It's fire-kissed meat tossed in a bold spice mix with that tingly pepper. Smoky, punchy, and very good with a cold beer.

Kathmandu spiced pork belly

Sliced pork belly with peppers and onion in a dry spice rub. It has three chilies on our menu, so it's one of the hottest things we make.

Himalayan bamboo curry

Bamboo shoots are a hill-country staple in Nepal, often cooked with potatoes and black-eyed peas into a sour, earthy curry called aloo tama bodi. Our Himalayan bamboo curry is vegan and gluten-free, and it doesn't taste like anything else on the menu.

Nepali chowmein

Chowmein is everywhere in Nepal, from street stalls to school lunches. The Nepali version is stir-fried noodles with vegetables and a distinctly South Asian spice profile. We serve it vegetarian or with chicken or pork.

Barahsinghe

Wash it all down with Barahsinghe, a light Nepali pilsner. It's crisp and made for spicy food.

A Nepali meal for two

Jhol momo and chicken choila to share, the bamboo curry with basmati rice, a plate of chowmein, and two Barahsinghe. You'll leave with a better idea of what Nepali food is than most people in Denver.