Kathmandu: Momos and Butter Tea at Yangling Restaurant

When it comes to food, Nepal is particularly known for momos, which are steamed or fried (kothey) dumplings, typically filled with minced meat. It is a cheap and delicious snack, that you will find everywhere in Kathmandu. You usually get a generous serving of 10 pieces, so when I was in the city, I had momos for lunch and for dinner most of the days.

The majority of the population in Nepal are Hindus, and they regard the cow as a holy animal that you are not allowed to kill. It is a different case for buffalos, and the momo filling is thus often minced buffalo meat. Momos are served with a tomato-based chutney (dipping sauce) that can be very spicy, but of that kind that you cannot stop yourself from eating.

I had the best momos at Yangling Restaurant, which was also one of the nicest restaurants I tried in Kathmandu. They had many different kinds of momos on the menu but also several soups and snacks, and none of the dishes was more than a dollar or two.

It was really cold when I was visiting Kathmandu, and I quickly found out that a cup of Butter Tea was one of the best ways to keep me warm. Butter tea is rather salty, and it might take a cup or two before you get used to the unusual flavor, but together with momos, it tastes really good.  

Yangling Restaurant, Kaldhara Marg, Kathmandu