Do you ever find yourself bored with the limited selection of restaurants in Millbrae? We have a plethora of Chinese restaurants, boba shops, fast food chains, Mexican food locations, and the rare Indian restaurants. But is it enough? The importance of trying new things and exploring outside of your comfort zone is crucial. The restaurants in Millbrae should embrace the entirety of vibrant cultures of the Bay Area. So join me in this breakdown of one of Millbrae’s new and more unique restaurants, Momo & Curry Nepal.
Momo & Curry Nepal is a restaurant located at 435 Broadway in Millbrae. This local restaurant serves authentic Nepalese cuisine, momo and curry being their specialties. When you enter the restaurant you are met with friendly faces, calming music, and a large wall size painting of the Himalayan ridge located in Nepal. “Do not make it private. Leave this point for everyone,” Manager Agni Rai encouraged. The restaurant’s goal is to make an open, welcoming place where people can try new foods and create a sense of community. They hope to motivate people to see each other’s food and want to try or order that dish. This restaurant establishes the perfect environment for people to explore new delicious foods with complex flavour profiles.
This restaurant has an expansive menu with plenty of variety. For their star dish, momo, they provide multiple cooking options such as steamed, tandoori, jhoul, and more. For filling options they have chicken, lamb, paneer and veggie, all seasoned to perfection hidden inside a thin sheet of dough. Their momo, while simple and similar in appearance to a Chinese dumpling, is unlike anything in Millbrae.
”We do not have so many things, but we are trying limited spices, with unlimited flavours,” Rai stated. Even with limited ingredients, they execute a variety of delicious food, all special in their own way.
A similar theme throughout their menu is their selection of meat options but also vegetarian food items. Their curries are mainly composed of tomato, meat and other ingredients that pair well with their naan. However, for a more healthy choice, roti made of whole wheat is a better alternative, and is just as appetizing. This restaurant prioritizes taste and customer satisfaction. To ensure great flavours every time, they use organic ingredients and make everything fresh. ”I want to provide fresh food to customers. We care about safety, the taste and consistency,” Rai explained. This taste emulates elements from Indian cuisine but is completely its own, reflecting the beautiful cuisine from Nepal as well.
Beyond the spices and delicious flavours, the restaurant is much more than just another food spot; it brings food and culture from around the Himalayan ridge to more secluded areas like Millbrae. ”Most of the ingredients come from Nepal and some of it from here, so we bring those things together and we mix it up in our way,” Rai said. When asked about his favorite part about working at Momo & Curry Nepal, Rai responded that he wanted “to bring something new from the Mount Everest range [to where] these kinds of cuisines are not available.”
Although this establishment, like any other place, wishes to make business, they prioritize service, taste, and authenticity. ”We are not only here to make business. We are here to serve this community as well,” Rai shared. “So if the communities are really happy or we can make them satisfied with our service, with our food taste, with a small smile, [then] it means we have succeeded.”