THE MIA JOURNEY
August 2012: Momo I Am is launched with a 20-cover eatery in Lake Gardens
August 2015: The Chinar Park outlet opens
June 2017: Two more outlets are added — in Golpark and Salt Lake
April 2018: The Lake Gardens eatery is reborn as a plush 50-seater
Now we know the secret behind Momo I Am’s popularity. It’s not just about the good food and a cool ambience, it’s also about the experience that owners Reevu Wangdi and Pravakar Yonzone bring to the table, both having worked with some of the best F&B names in Sydney, Australia.
“We reached Sydney in 2004 to study hotel management and after passing out, started working there. My first workplace was the famous Guillaume at Bennelong restaurant inside Sydney Opera House,” reminisced Reevu, a Darjeeling lad who had teamed up with childhood buddy Pravakar to open Momo I Am, a cosy little eatery serving Tibetan food in Lake Gardens, in 2012. Then it was a 20-seater, and almost every day one had to wait to get a seat in the evening. Today, it has become a 50-seater with a fresh look and feel and even then has 10 to 30 minutes waiting time on a Saturday evening.
The dishes on their menu that is a mix of Oriental cuisines —Tibetan, Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Malaysian-Indonesian — have become a hit with the Calcutta foodie. T-Momo Combos, Shyafaley, soup noodles like Thukpa, Thenthuk and Mothuk, Baos and Bowls along with the momos (Hangover Momo is a t2 favourite) are some of the bestsellers here. Pork-lovers keep coming back for the dozen pork dishes on the menu including the t2 favourite Szechuan Plum Pork. The bowls are popular with those looking for a one-pot filling meal, the Tibetan and the Szechuan Noodle Bowl being the pop picks.
For somebody who has worked with the likes of Guillaume Brahimi — a celebrity chef under whom the last six contestants of MasterChef Australia Season 4 got the opportunity to work for a day — to create a menu that doesn’t lose its charm easily is not too difficult. While Reevu has also worked at Westin Sydney and Longrain, Pravakar honed his kitchen skills at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel and About Life organic cafe in Sydney. Both of them had worked together at The Malaya, a restaurant in Sydney serving a range of Southeast Asian cuisine since 1963.
“What worked for us is our experience from the grassroots level. We have learned everything from scratch — doing dishes, managing the kitchen, shopping for the pantry… we have done it all. And what we have learnt is that quality and consistency are the key to have your customers come back,” said Pravakar.
Rs 180: Pumpkin cooked with palm jaggery and coconut flakes and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is one of the desserts that were until recently available at all the outlets except the Lake Gardens address. After the renovation, now the desserts are on the Lake Gardens menu too. #SoHappy
Text: Sibendu Das
Pictures: B. Halder
