Food Review: Katmandu Momo in Conway

I have always enjoyed Katmandu’s food truck, but was very excited to try their brick-n-mortar restaurant in Conway, because I knew they have many more food options and I wanted to try them! Here’s the breakdown:

ENVIRONMENT

Located in downtown Conway, Katmandu is easy to find and large enough to accommodate everyone that came in for a Friday night dinner without a wait.

MENU

https://www.facebook.com/katmandumomo/menu/

You can find their menu on their Facebook page, in the link above. However, there were some items that have been permanently removed from it. So, the current menu has the following scratched out and no longer available:
-Chatamari with chicken, beef, or pork (rice crepe topped with ground meat,  eggs, red onions, and cilantro.)
-Chatamari with veggies
-Any pork items- pork dumplings were no longer available for any dish.

I was really looking forward to trying that chatamari, so that was a little disappointing. Hopefully they bring it back as a special sometimes.

FOOD

Kakro Ko Achar, $5.99
Description: Nepali-style cucumber salad.

This appetizer, though small for $6, was delicious! But be warned, it has quite the kick! It was definitely the spiciest thing I tried tonight, but it was also crunchy and refreshing. I believe the most prominent ingredient in the sauce was sesame oil, with some rice wine vinegar and cilantro, plus something spicy!

Jhol Momo, $10.99
Description: Soup momo, choice of beef, chicken, or veggies.

My friend warned me that this dish was pretty spicy, too spicy for her, so beware.  Well, I love spicy and this momo in a thick curry-like soup sounded perfect. It was great! Oddly, it was the least spicy thing I tried. Perhaps there can be some inconsistencies in their recipe?  Or perhaps my friend is just super sensitive to any spice?
Either way, I got chicken in this momo and it was tender and flavorful. I loved the soup/ sauce and thought it went really well with the steamed momo.

Chili Momo, $10.99
Description: Fried momo (choice of beef, chicken, or veggies) stir fried in sweet and spicy sauce, mixed with bell peppers, carrots, and cilantro

This dish was definitely the star of the show! FRIED momo (I got beef in this dish) covered in this thick, sweet and spicy sauce with some sauteed veggies was absolutely delicious! The sauce was perfectly balanced, sweet with a little heat. The momo stayed crunchy until the end. It was soo good. The beef inside the momo did seem a little tough, perhaps due to the fryer. So, next time I’ll try it with chicken or the veggie momo. But I will definitely, always order this dish! It was everyone at the table’s favorite, by far.

OVERALL

The food is so unique and tasty, I do love this place. However, be prepared to wait a while for your food.  It is probably not ideal for grabbing a quick lunch.  Also, if you’re sticking to the cucumber or momo dishes, these ran pretty small. So, order a couple things to try. Though, I have heard reports that the rice and noodle dishes are very large. I’ll have to try that chow main soon!

Food Review: Lunch Buffet at Mehfil Indo-Mughlai Pak Cuisine

The popular new buffet (for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week)  Mehfil is a mostly Indian and Pakistani cuisine, and is located in the old Dixie Cafe on Rodney Parham.  I was very excited about trying it, I love Indian food and was looking forward to trying some new dishes I haven’t tasted before. Here’s the breakdown:

Environment

While the old Dixie Cafe brick walls are still there and feel familiar, they have spruced up the space. There is a more chic waiting/ lounge area near the door.

Photo from their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/mehfilcuisine)

 

The restaurant is open with many tables in the buffet area.

Photo from their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/mehfilcuisine)

 

Also, there is a bar area, where Dixie Cafe’s old ice cream parlor used to reside.

Photo from their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/mehfilcuisine)

This restaurant seems like a great spot for private events. They even had a New Year’s Eve Party, full of dancing and eating. Seems like a fun place!

 

Food

The buffet is very large! The beginning of the line has a few house-made sauces, including a yogurt sauce and a killer mint chutney. (I didn’t try the others). There is also a salad and some assorted fruit with rice pudding and gulab jamun (doughnut balls in syrup for us new to Indian food) for dessert.

The rest of the buffet had 11 other items, not counting the na’an you get at your table. Some of my favorites included the vegetable pakora (fried veggie pieces, perfect for dipping into the many saucy dishes), chicken vindaloo that was so flavorful with a kick of heat, the kabob, and the vegetable qorma. My favorite item, though, was the chicken tika masala. It was rich and creamy and tasted a lot more similar to Indian dishes I’m used to around here.

There were a few dishes that I didn’t fall in love with, probably because they are so authentic and my pallet is too basic. And there were some dishes I didn’t get to try because there were soo many options!

Overall, the buffet is impressive with something for everyone…well, many somethings for everyone.

Drew and my set up. I don’t like my food touching. LOL

 

The absolute best part of the meal was the very delicious, very flavorful na’an that comes to the table. You get the option of plain or garlic. Of course I chose garlic! It had some chewy bites, some crispy ones….it may be the best na’an in Little Rock.

Overall, you have to try this place. It is authentic, the people are very friendly, and it wasn’t crowded for an early lunch on a Wednesday. Plus, it is only $10. So, let me know what you think of it!