On the ‘hunt’ for delicious Nepali & Indian cuisine in Harrisburg

Story and photos by Imogene Gross, imogene@harrisburgmagazine.com

Momo Hunt is an Indian and Nepali restaurant and bar on Walnut Street in Harrisburg. The vibrant space features ample seating and a bar illuminated by colorful neon lights. The building has a history of being used by Indian restaurants. Our party remembered it as the former site of Aangan, an Indian restaurant. After Aangan, our server informed us that Peacock Indian Restaurant previously operated in the space that is now Momo Hunt. One Friday night, our group of anonymous diners settled into a booth to sample the menu.

For our appetizers, we stuck with Indian dining mainstays of pappadams and samosa chaat. The pappadams, thin and crispy wafers typically made from legumes, such as lentils, and flavored with salt and cumin seeds, were served with a sweet and spicy tamarind chutney, and were precisely as we expected - a light, crispy counterpoint to the other, more complex dishes. Even when our mains were served, an occasional bite of pappadam in between other bites was a nice palate cleanser. The samosa chaat, a North Indian street food, consisted of a samosa (deep fried spiced dumpling filled with potatoes and peas) smothered in chole (spicy chickpea curry), yogurt, and more tamarind chutney. This was my personal favorite of the dishes I sampled during our visit. The spicy and sweet flavors complemented each other well, and the toothsome texture of the samosa in the curry was excellent.

Although Indian restaurants are very popular in the area, there are fewer that specialize specifically in Nepali cuisine. Because nobody in our party has had much experience with this region’s food, we all took advantage of the opportunity to try something new and selected Nepali main courses, which were on the Momo Hunt Special section of the menu. Two of us, in keeping with the restaurant’s name, ordered momos, which are a type of steamed or fried dumpling with origins from the Himalayas. One diner ordered the Chicken Chili Momo. These momos, filled with spiced ground chicken, were fried and tossed in a hot chili-soy sauce, with whole red chiles, green bell peppers, and green onions. He described the level of spice as “hot, but not too hot –the kind of hot that makes you want to keep eating them.” The other momo order was for the Chicken Jhol Momo. These momos, also filled with ground chicken, were steamed instead, and bathed in a rich, tomato-based curry spiced sauce. I ordered the Veg Thupka, a vegetarian option of a classic Himalayan soup with egg noodles. The soup came loaded with chickpeas, garden peas, onion, and potato, in a broth seasoned with turmeric and other spices that I associate with this region’s food. However, it was not overly spicy. I was surprised to find a sprinkle of what I think may have been black nori (seaweed) flakes garnishing my soup and adding just a hint of ocean flavor. As a sweet treat, I ordered a mango lassi, a yogurt-based smoothie, with my meal. I always recommend getting a lassi at an Indian restaurant, especially if you don’t handle spice well, as the dairy soothes the hot sensation.

All in all, we recommend Momo Hunt. It’s a great stop to try something new, if desired, or stick to takeout classics like Butter Chicken. Other menu offerings that we didn’t get to try this time include, of course, classic curries, their selection of lamb, chicken, shrimp, and paneer kabobs, a selection of naan breads and dosas, varieties of fried rice and biryani, and another Nepali dish, chaumin, a noodle dish which is related to Chinese chow mein. If you’re bringing along someone who isn’t a fan of Indian or Nepali cuisine, they even have chicken wings and French fries. And of course, although we didn’t get a chance to check out their bar, it’s a convenient spot if you want to carry on for after-dinner drinks. They also host an all-you-can-eat buffet Thursday-Sunday, perfect for sampling a wide range of their offerings. Overall, Momo Hunt offers a wellrounded menu, focusing on a core set of dishes that they do well, a laid-back atmosphere, and affordable prices. 7

Momo Hunt Restaurant & Bar is located at 3500 Walnut Street in Harrisburg. Closed Tuesdays. Open every other day from 11 am to 10 pm. Visit momohuntrnb.com to view the menu.