This Momo Food Crawl Supports Queens Immigrant Entrepreneurs

Lhasa Fast Food co-owner Kunga Lhamo in Jackson Heights, Queens, Momo Crawl. Photo: Nina Roberts — Lhasa Fast Food co-owner Kunga Lhamo in Jackson Heights, Queens, is participating in this year's Momo Crawl. Photo: Nina Roberts

Published in Forbes on October 31, 2017

The momo is a succulent steamed Tibetan dumpling, typically filled with ground beef or chicken, mixed with minced cabbage, herbs and spices. Vegetable variations might be a concoction of potato and cabbage, featuring chives or hints of ginger. Jool momos are filled with savory broth; vegan and halal momos have even appeared. Momos are topped with spicy sauces in electric reds and oranges; some are served with shredded radishes with a touch of beet juice or other garnishes.

This rich array of momos is becoming a hot culinary trend in New York City. Momos are considered Tibetan and have been adopted by neighboring countries like Nepal, or anywhere the diaspora settled, from India to the more recent neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens, in New York City.

Tenzin Choenyi, the co-owner of Little Tibet with Lobsang Choephel in Jackson Heights believes one reason momos are so popular is because of the influx of immigrants--Tibetan, the diaspora, and from surrounding countries, mainly Nepal. "There’s more demand for more stores," says Choenyi, who was born in India to Tibetan parents, "more trucks and restaurants that serve their food.”

Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, Momo Crawl. Photo: Nina Roberts — Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, part of this year’s Momo Crawl. Photo: Nina Roberts

Choenyi also credits the annual Momo Crawl, a one-day momo-centric food festival in Jackson Heights, for boosting the momo’s popularity, especially among “non-Himalayan people,” as Choenyi puts it. “I’m sure they’ve tasted dumplings, like the Chinese version,” says Choenyi, “but I think some have never tasted a Tibetan or Himalayan momo.”

Takpa Thokme launched Mom’s Momos food truck four months ago, he has simpler explanation why momo demand has grown in New York City: “They are very convenient and delicious.” Momos are also filling and affordable, an order of eight might cost $6 to $8. Thokme stations his momo truck near Manhattan’s Union Square during the week and Jackson Heights on the weekends. Thokme, who immigrated from Tibet ten years ago when he was 18-years-old, notes this year’s Momo Crawl will be his first. This year it takes place on Sunday, November 5, 2017.

The annual, three-hour momo extravaganza is in its sixth year. There were 1,200 participants at last year's event, according to the Momo Crawl’s creator and organizer Jeff Orlick. Momo marathoners sampled momos at approximately 25 neighborhood eateries at $1 each. The Momo Crawl can get a little chaotic, long lines of people snaking out the doors and along the sidewalks waiting for fresh batches of steamed momos in a common sight. Participants are asked to vote for their favorite momo establishment, Little Tibet was last year's winner.

A worker at Hamro Bhim’s Cafe in Jackson Heights. Photo: Nina Roberts — A worker at Hamro Bhim’s Cafe holds a momo with sauces. Photo: Nina Roberts

Choenyi estimates Little Tibet sells 2,000 momos on a typical day; during last year’s Momo Crawl they sold more than 1,500 momos. Dawa Sherpa of Kanchanjunga, a small family-owned cafe with a bright red interior, is aiming to make 600 extra momos in addition to the 900 daily momos in preparation of this year’s Momo Crawl.

Some Jackson Heights eateries—from the spacious restaurants with Tibetan and Nepali artworks and shrines to tiny fluorescently lit, no frills establishments with several stools for seating—already have steady business. Most proprietors still participate in the Momo Crawl because it brings new customers who return with friends for full meals. There’s more to Himalayan cuisine than just momos, like spicy noodle soups, chicken with onion and ginger and butter tea.

In addition, some eateries operate in obscure locations and can be hard to find, like cozy Lhasa Fast Food owned by a Tibetan couple. It’s found at the end of a narrow hallway of plexiglass in a bright mini mall of mobile phone and jewelry shops. However, Anthony Bourdain managed to find Lhasa Fast Food and featured it on his Queens addition of Parts Unknown this past spring.

Jeff Orlick in Jackson Heights. Photo: Nina Roberts

When Orlick, who lives nearby, started the Momo Crawl, it was simply a fun way for friends to sample the neighborhood momo establishments, 15 at the time. Over the past six years the Momo Crawl has evolved into a citywide food festival, one block is even shut off to traffic where a dozen performing artists from the community sing, play music, DJ and dance.

When Orlick initially approached business owners with his Momo Crawl idea, he was surprised that all were receptive, the most challenging aspect was settling on a date, not that he was a white American guy trying to organize a momo event. “A lot of the Tibetans are really fun,” says Orlick, “they want to try something new.” Some establishments don’t participate because the three-hour momo feeding frenzy displaces regular customers.

Orlick gives a variety of food tours and produces culinary events beyond the Momo Crawl, he sees sharing food from all parts of the globe as an interesting way to break down barriers. After President Trump announced the “Travel Ban” in January of this year, Orlick was quick to organize group dinners at restaurants owned by immigrants from countries on the list. “And I never discount the food,” he adds. Orlick gained additional notoriety in the neighborhood, making headlines, when he ripped down Nazi and Mussolini posters that “decorated” a local apartment building lobby this past summer.

This year’s Momo Crawl will charge participants $10 for a map, all money goes towards producing the event, Orlick doesn’t make any money off the Momo Crawl. “I don’t want the money,” asserts Orlick, “it feels dirty.” He is moving on to other projects, so Orlick is “passing on the momo ball,” as he puts it, to Students for a Free Tibet.

A new development for this year's Momo Crawl is the free “I Love Momos” app for iPhones and Android devices. Orlick was given a small grant by the Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) to create the app. It can be used during after the Momo Crawl, as it maps out all Momo establishments in New York City. Another, is the wrestling-style championship leather belt Orlick is creating for this year's Momo Crawl winner. The heavy-duty belt is adorned with an affixed golden momo on the front. “It’s costing a lot of money,” concedes Orlick, who is trying to cut costs by crafting it himself at his dad’s machine shop, "but it’s going to be passed down.”

Establishments Participating In The 6th Annual Momo Crawl

Amdo Kitchen Truck, 37th Road & 74th Street

Delhi Heights, 37-66 74th Street

Ema Datsi, 67-21 Woodside Ave

Friends Corner, 74-17 Roosevelt Ave

Gang Chen Bodkyi Mo Mo Cart, 73rd Street & Roosevelt Ave

Hamro Bhim's Café, 74-10 37th Road

Himalayan Restaurant, 81-13 Broadway

Himalayan Yak Restaurant, 72-20 Roosevelt Ave

K2 Delight Cafe - Bombay Chat, 73-19 37th Road

Kanchanjunga, 72-24 Roosevelt Ave

Lali Guras, 37-63 76th Street