More momos

What: Momo I Am

Where: New Town (Shop no. G-B, near Chinar Park crossing) and Lake Gardens (195C Lake Gardens, near Bandhan Bank)

Meal for two: Rs 600-plus

Having hit the bullseye with its Tibetan and Chinese fare in Lake Gardens, Momo I Am set up shop near New Town this year. t2 dropped in at its Chinar Park outlet and caught up with Darjeeling boy Reevu Wangdi — 
co-owner with friend Pravakar Yonzone — to know what’s been bringing on the hungry tide at its 15-seater in south Calcutta since 2012...

Why do you think Momo I Am clicked so well with foodies?
Haha! I guess because we were hands on from the beginning. We did everything... from taking orders, serving to even cleaning tables! Our food is authentic yet has modern twists. People also like our ambience. And our menu is pocket-friendly.

We have always wondered why it’s named Momo I Am!
It was an accidental name (laughs). We wanted something catchy and were toying with the sentence ‘I Am Momo’ but that sounded funny. So we flipped it and that worked!

So who are the fans? 
Mostly the young crowd like students and young working professionals because of the affordable pricing and ambience. We do get elderly people and families coming in as well. 

And what are the pop bites? 
Drums of Hell, the baos, especially Pork Bao, Chicken-T Momo and Pork Chilli. People looking to have a wholesome meal settle for the bowls or thukpas. Our portions are quite big, so that makes people happy.

Text: Deborima Ganguly
Pictures: Pabitra Das