Written by: Sadaf Shahzad
Posted on: January 03, 2020 | 
| 中文
Momo Shack Dumplings (photo credits to sweetsensations12 on Instagram)
The Momo is a truly well-traveled dish. The steamed or fried bun with a variety of fillings is a descendent of the traditional Chinese Dumpling or ‘jaozi’. Although it is traditionally known as a Tibetan dish, the momo has also incorporated the traditional flavors and taste requirements of the Indian Subcontinent. While no one knows exactly how momos found their way westward, historians believe that they spread from China to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and finally India, along the belt of the Himalayan Mountains.
Momos Shack is nestled in a quaint open air food court in Askari XI in Lahore’s Defence Area. It’s a small eatery, that has been making waves in the food circle for its flavorful momos and freshly-made noodles. Their Facebook page boasts healthy and hygienic ingredients which are locally sourced. A small group of friends and I decided to see what all the fuss is about, because one can never have enough momos.
The stall for The Momos Shack is discreet, and we drove by the open air food court a couple of times without finding its location. But upon arriving, we found the staff to be very helpful and courteous. Their menu is small, with two separate sections for Momos, as well as Beef and Chicken Noodles. For the first time visitors, the staff recommended a basket of dumplings, along with Garlic Butter Steak Bites, with Tibetan noodles.
Chicken Noodle Soup (photo credits to the writer)
For our starter we had to try the noodle soup, for Rs. 300. The soup had a light flavorful broth, along with a generous helping of noodles and a large chicken dumpling. However, some may find this a little bland for their taste, as the flavors are quite different from the conventional soup flavors and seasonings. But for us, this soup was a perfectly wholesome start to our meal on a cold winter night.
Our bouquet of momos, which cost Rs. 1000, consisted of a sampling of all of their flavors, making it a whopping deal of 16 momos. However, much to our dismay, they were out of their signature dishes, the teriyaki and chicken momos. We could not try those, despite hearing rave reviews about them.
Bouquet of Momos (photo credits to the writer)
After not too long but very eager wait, the momos arrived. Upon removing the lid of the steamer, we found a colorful collection of three different kinds of momos. These were namely the Red Chilli Momo, the Green Chilli Momo and the Honey Mustard Momos, each with their own specific dipping sauce. Every momo had a chicken filling, and were steamed to perfection.
The steamed dumplings were big, beautiful to look at and were bursts of flavor when it came to their filling. For me the best dumpling was the Honey Mustard Momo, for its sweetness as well as its kick. The sauces accompanying them added a nice local twist to them, and ensured that they weren’t too ‘bland’ for local taste buds.
Our last dish of the night was the Garlic Butter Steak Bites, served with Tibetan tossed noodles for Rs. 450. These noodles were unlike anything I’ve ever tried before, and the sweet and sour sauce just elevated the taste of the dish. It wasn’t your regular Pad Thai or Chowmein dish, the flavours were very uniquely subtle, with the herbs shining through the dish. The serving size was big enough for two people to share, and there was definitely enough room for it, following the bouquet of momos.
Garlic Butter Steak Bites (photo credits to the writer)
Overall, The Momos Shack is definitely a place worth visiting, not only for its unique and flavorful dishes, but also for its reasonable prices. And while the momos surpassed my expectations, the soup and noodles were pleasant surprises of rich, hearty flavors. This has become one of my new favorite places for healthy, mouth-watering comfort food.
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