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Momos are one of the food trends we are seeing everywhere now in Hong Kong, and we’re happy to report on a a new kid on the block offering a fantastic range of these classic and creative Nepalese dumplings.
With two branches – in Central’s Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui – Momoz is the brainchild of HK-born brothers Rishi and Ayush Khemka of new restaurant group Cygnus Concepts, which plans to embrace diverse regional cultures, first with this Nepalese-Indian concept and, later this summer, with an Italian fine-dining restaurant in Central. The Momoz shops are small, bright, mainly takeaway-only spots in busy districts, catering to locals, office workers and night owls, opening till past 2am at the weekend.
We tried just about every momo on the menu, which are bite-sized and steamed or fried to order, with each type coming in a set of lucky eight. All the spices used are imported from Nepal, and the dough, sauces and fillings are made in-house. The only quirky flavour we missed out on was the char siu momo, which was off-menu on the day we visited.
Clockwise from top left:
- Swiss-Italian cheese fondue momo ($98): filled with a blend of cheeses and served with a cheese dipping sauce on the side, this one is the heaviest of the lot but still well executed and fun to eat
- “Fire in the Hole” chicken momo ($98): quite an off-putting name for such a deliciously spicy concoction! The chicken-ragu filling is off the hook with the aromatics.
- Kimchi momo ($98): this pretty little veggie number packs quite a flavour punch, featuring kimchi, shiitake and chilli, although we couldn’t detect any of the purported halloumi cheese
- Classic vegetarian momo ($78): fresh spinach, coriander and more herbs and spices make up this clean, mild-flavoured dumpling
- Katsu chicken curry fried momo ($88): this one is so creative! The panko-coated fried dumpling is filled with authentic Japanese chicken katsu, served with a side of katsu curry sauce
- “Fire in the Hole” lamb momo ($98): similar to the the super-spicy chicken momo mentioned above, we preferred this version for the robust flavour of lamb, a good match for the heavy-hitting spices
- Hainanese chicken momo ($98): another innovative dumpling, this momo has a different texture to the others as it’s filled with rice in addition to house-made Hainan chicken, served with a traditional ginger-garlic-scallion dipping sauce
- Classic chicken momo ($88; not pictured): you can’t go wrong with a classic, and this OG momo might have been our favourite of them all!
There are various sauces available for your dipping pleasure, and we can heartily recommend the refreshing mint chutney and classic chutney, a spicy concoction made with tomato, chilli and garlic.
Competing with the momos for attention are the eatery’s signature rolls. Similar to Indian’s beloved katai rolls, which are also gaining popularity in the 852, Momoz’s rolls showcase paratha, or Indian flatbread, filled with a variety of ingredients and flavours from around the world, from the deep-fried prawns and cocktail sauce in the dynamite prawn roll, to lamb rogan josh, to Impossible plant-based meat.
We opted for the butter chicken roll ($108), and we wolfed down every last bite of this Indian-style sarnie. The butter chicken was well spiced and not overly creamy or sweet (as HK versions of this dish are wont to be), and the flatbread itself was freshly fried and piping hot. We always enjoy dipping some naan or paratha into our butter chicken, so this roll makes for a much tidier way of eating this iconic dish.
For such a small, specialised shop, Momoz’s beverage menu is impressive. In addition to the usual juices and soft drinks, there’s kombucha and a great selection of both local and international bottled beers on offer (Young Master is the most-featured local brewery). Even better, be sure to check out the colourful canned cocktails, mocktails and draught beer, mixed and canned in-house in conjunction with Young Master (on that note, imagine getting draught beer delivered by Deliveroo or foodpanda!).
We tried the canned hot virgin chilli mojito ($42), a ginger-ale-based mocktail with a minty, spicy kick.
Verdict
Momoz is a hit! We can’t fault any of the momos and rolls we tried, and the prices are pretty unbeatable (there’s a hearty lunch set for $78 that includes four momos of the day, a roll of the day and a mocktail or soft drink). It’s obvious the love and dedication the founders have put into this new concept, and we foresee queues outside both shops, especially late night, very soon.
Central: 6 Lan Kwai Fong, LKF, Central, 2898 3129
TST: Shop 3, G/F, Lee Wai Commercial Building, 1 & 3 Hart Avenue, TST, 3752 2670
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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