O! MOMO ★★★½
121 Avoca St, Randwick, omomo.com.au
Getting hit by a car isn’t a typical reason for opening a restaurant, but when Bunny Rajbhandari was injured in an accident a few years ago, it was a life-changing moment that galvanised him to set up O! Momo.
With its homely atmosphere and authentic dumplings, O! Momo brings a small slice of Nepal to busy Randwick.Credit:James Brickwood
Rajbhandari had been cooking his momos (Nepalese dumplings) and dishes for nearly a decade before opening his restaurant. In between office jobs, he ran a catering business and sometimes that meant feeding large crowds, such as the masses at Sydney’s Nepal Festival or the Rainbow Serpent Festival in Victoria. “We served over 1500 covers in five to six hours,” he says of the Nepal Festival. “That was a crazy day.”
Undertaking these mega cooking sprees would be exhausting enough without a nine-to-five job, but it took the accident for Rajbhandari to feel he had the "permission" needed to ditch his office work and take on his true passion.
Given the restaurant is called O! Momo, it’s no surprise the dumplings are the most-ordered items here. And you can get very creative with how you enjoy them. “We have four flavours that can be served in eight different ways,” says Rajbhandari.
A selection of O! Momo’s Nepalese dumplings.Credit:James Brickwood
In practice, that means you choose your momos to be steamed, pan-fried, stir-fried or run through a deep-fryer. Or they can be seasoned with a green chilli and cumin tomato chutney or freshly dipped in a coriander chutney with a light hit of mint.
Then there’s the top-selling butter chicken momos, smothered in a creamy, high-comfort curry that has an accent of honey and fenugreek leaves. And to multiply the already plentiful “choose your own adventure” possibilities on offer, each meat option is available in vegan form. So if you can’t say yes to the chicken momo, take up the vegetable-filled alternative. It’s lovely tossed through a spiced, chopped tomato salad or coated in a tangy yoghurt and tamarind sauce and topped with crunchy noodles.
O! Momo’s extensive vegan menu is part of its welcoming, inclusive feel: a nicely spiced rogan josh filled with tomato-braised jackfruit stands on its own, for example, and doesn’t feel any less substantial than the goat or chicken version slow-cooked in yoghurt, fennel and cardamom.
The restaurant already has a vibrant, personal, lived-in look, thanks to all the Nepalese decorations throughout: from the colourful prayer flags to the Nepalese singing bowl that sits prominently near one table.
The vegetarian dumplings tossed salad at O! Momo.Credit:James Brickwood
Sometimes, though, O! Momo undergoes the strain that small neighbourhood restaurants experience occasionally, such as the occasional forgotten order or seeing dishes you’d like to try (chilli lamb chops, Nepali black lentil pancakes or a roasted pumpkin curry with ground coconut and yellow lentils) out of commission because the kitchen was cleared out by an unexpectedly big takeaway order.
But with so many dumplings to choose from, and an interesting mix of drinks to counter the heat (such as the Nepali Coke, which is like a marsala-spiced version of the fizzy drink, or the tangy kagata paani lemonade), there’s a lot to redirect your attention and appetite towards. And with O! Momo acting as a production centre for the business’s frozen, ready-to-eat and snacks range, you can still get a taste of the menu in many other ways.
THE LOWDOWN
Main attraction: Momos
Must-try: The momos in as many different ways as possible – from the butter chicken dumplings to vegan dumplings, served chaat-style, in a yoghurt and tamarind sauce.
Insta-worthy dish: The chaat-style dumplings, garnished with crunchy noodles.
Drinks: From $4 for Fanta to $5.50 for lemon lime and bitters.
Prices: From $3.50 for dips to $28 for a momo platter.
Open: Tues–Sun 5–10pm
IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
CHAT THAI 222a Carrington Road, Randwick
This much-loved Thai institution not only inspires queues at its many outposts around town, it also is a favourite with top international chefs, such as David Chang and Rene Redzepi.
RANDWICK RITZ 45 St Pauls Street, Randwick
This cinema complex doesn’t just show the latest films (don’t miss its upcoming screening of the brilliant award-winning documentary Martha: A Picture Story), it also hosts special events and features: such as sessions for the Jewish International Film Festival, previews of The Irishman, and its ongoing Keanu-Reeves-A-Thon, which is bound to be an excellent film adventure).
SOUL BURGER The Spot, 49 Perouse Road, Randwick
This burger joint took a gamble by going all-vegan three years ago – and has only become more popular since (with branches in Glebe, Parramatta and Newtown following this original store). The plant-based menu includes takes on fish burgers, fried chicken and the halal snack pack. Don’t miss the very good, chunky chips.
PARADE THEATRE 215 Anzac Parade, Kensington
The upcoming slate at this National Institute of Dramatic Art complex includes God of Carnage directed by Judy Davis, Jim Sharman’s version of Twelfth Night and a musical production of Starstruck, Gillian Armstrong’s film from 1982.
CHAIRMAN MAO 189 Anzac Parade, Kensington
Test your tolerance for spice at this Hunanese restaurant that’s been endorsed by chefs such as Dan Hong and Neil Perry and demonstrates a serious use of firepower. The signature braised pork is caramelly sweet and has a strong fanbase, but don’t overlook the cauliflower with cumin or the stir-fried eggplant with green chilli.
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