BENGALURU: Steaming hot momos and a bowl of hearty thukpa (noodle soup) in the cold, while the mountains look down on you, is something everyone needs to experience. For those who can’t run to the hills, Foxtrot - House of Subculture has introduced a limited edition Himalayan Food Festival.
We made our way to the hip Koramangala eatery on a chilly Bengaluru night, so the steaming hot momos, served with four different ‘chutneys’, were more than welcome. We tried the Ghale-style Veg Momos first, which were loaded with vegetables, and were mild on flavour – we particularly liked the potatoes in them as the starchy vegetable doesn’t usually feature in momos.
The Gurung Chicken Momos were next, and the juicy stuffing went perfectly with the spicy/tangy chutneys they came with. Rather than opting for the typical soupy thukpa, we went for the Chicken Dry Thukpa. This is a semi-dry dish with lots of vegetables, a fried egg and plenty of noodles. While the flavours were good, we wished they were a little more mild, keeping with the taste of Tibetan food in general.
From the small plates section, we sampled the Potato Ko Achar – spiced achari potatoes, which had crispy, tangy, hot pieces of potato. But the Soya Chilli Pork from this list is what won us over, as the tender meat and soya chilli sauce were a great match. The Emma Datshi, a classic Bhutanese dish, is a must try for all the cheese lovers out there. Hot melted cheese, plenty of green chillies and peppers, all brought together to make a creamy sauce that is served with either tingmo (steamed Tibetan bun) or steamed rice.
Being huge fans of cheese, we loved how the dish tasted, but thought the consistency was a little thicker than normal, making it a dish better paired with the tingmo. Our favourite dish on this special menu was the Lamb Shapta. Since it is a staple in the homes of the people of the region, shaptra is commonly found on menus at Tibetan restaurants. The dish, which comes with a tofu option as well, is basically a stir-fry, served with a soft tingmo.
Head to Foxtrot- House of Subculture before November 10 if you want to sample dishes from the Himalayan menu.
Cost for two: `1, 400