- [Prez] My name is Prez, and I work at Thrillist.
Around these parts, I'm known as the 5 Dollar Lunch Guy.
Every episode, I'm gonna put you guys
onto the very finest New York grub
for $5 or less.
OK, all right.
Let's see what we got here.
Momo.
OK so, momo, aka Nepalese-style dumplings,
are these delicious little morsels
filled with all sorts of stuff.
Sometimes they can be a little bit spicy,
but on a day like today, it's perfect.
And they're always a solid budget lunch.
So, looks like today's mission is a go.
New York is a great place
to get any type of cuisine,
even the least accessible ones, like Nepalese.
And fortunately for you,
I know the perfect place to hit up.
Today we're headed to Dhaulagiri Kitchen,
a great little Nepalese joint,
which has become one of my favorite places
to get momo in Jackson Heights.
And, with a little bit of research,
I actually found their other place
is right down the street.
So, five bucks somewhere.
Let's go.
So these are the rules of "Operation Five Buck Lunch."
It's gotta be good,
'cause nobody wants bad food for lunch.
No big chains, 'cause that's just too easy.
It's gotta be $5 or less.
And whatever I don't use today
rolls over into the next episode. 54 00:01:32,843 --> 00:01:34,140 Out of all the people we spoke to,
only one person knew what momo was.
So just in case you haven't figured it out,
momo are very similar to Chinese-style dumplings.
They're steamed, and they're stuffed.
But they're filled with ingredients
that are specific to the Nepal region,
such as buffalo meat, kachori, and chayote.
Now ya know.
Here we are 28th and Lex,
only a few blocks from where we started,
Dhaulagiri Kitchen!
I'm starving, let's get in.
(electronic music)
- Sir.
We have momo. - Wow.
Thank you.
So here we have it.
The vegetable momo.
I am super excited to be eating this.
Now, to the main attraction.
(camera clicking)
Mmm.
So you're getting a little bit of heat.
I order vegetable dumplings specifically,
because when you get meat in the dumpling,
sometimes it might overpower the process.
You might just be tasting the meat,
but these vegetables are so well seasoned.
There are at least six or seven different vegetables
that I can eyeball myself,
and they all add a different note to this momo,
which makes it specifically unique.
We have carrots, onions, coriander,
there's chili powder in here, there's soybeans
there's cabbage, there's ginger.
This sauce is kinda' like a ginger-chili sauce.
So how this was explained to me
are that these three sauces are mild
in increasing order,
with this being the hottest of the mild sauces,
and then this being the hottest of the hot sauces.
Look at this space.
It's so cute.
When you come in here,
you go down a flight of steps,
and it's kind of like a sub-underground space a little bit.
A little bit tight.
I feel kinda cozy.
It's warm specifically today.
This is gonna be a little bit of a sloppier eat but--
That is delicious.
Chilis in oil, I already know.
(laughs)
Here we go.
I'm out, I'm out.
Don't play around with this one.
This one's no joke.
Almost died.
It's a 12.
Be careful.
Warning.
This is fantastic.
Don't know, shout out to Nepalese.
I don't know what happened
but y'all know how to do dumplings.
Top one in my life.
Now you're probably gonna ask me,
"Prez, where do we get dumplings?
Where do we get soup dumplings?
Where do we get dim sum?
Where do we get wonton?"
Don't waste your time.
Come down to Dhaulagiri Kitchen,
hang out [with] my homegirl,
she'll take care of you.
Get some momo.
That's all I gotta say.
OK, guys, I have a ton of momo in my guts.
I am stuffed.
Let's go pay for this stuff.
Today's mission was momo,
and while the momo dumpling and Nepalese food
aren't as famous as their dim sum cousin,
it's well worth the trip.
Coming to a restaurant
that looks to set themselves apart
by being true and authentic to the food they love
is a win for me.
So as far as I'm concerned,
today's mission was a success.
It's in budget, it's not a big chain,
and it's damn good.
Anyways, only a few blocks to work,
I'll see you later.
Peace.