Darjeeling Cafe, near Loyola College on Sterling Road, is a tiny, cosy spot where the portions are generous, the prices budget-friendly and the food tastes reassuringly close to what you would find in the Himalayan region. We visited to try its recently introduced Himalayan specialities, a menu that brings lesser-known regional dishes to the city. Having sampled good Nepali and Darjeeling food before, we were keen to see how the café measured up.
We started with the Non-veg momo platter, a bestseller that lets you sample four styles of chicken momos in one sitting. Two each of steamed, pan-fried, kurkure and tandoori momos make it a good choice for first-timers or anyone who cannot settle on just one. The steamed momos were warm, juicy and generously filled, just as we like our classics. The pan-fried ones won us over with their lightly seared exterior and lovely bite. The Kurkure momos, coated in crunchy breadcrumbs with a panko-like crust, were tasty, though a little oily for our liking. The Tandoori momos, coated in a house-made tandoori paste, were smoky and spicy, almost like little stuffed kebabs.
Next came the Chicken keema noodles, a generous serving of wok-tossed noodles loaded with well-seasoned minced meat. Bok choy, sesame and chilli flakes added texture and flavour, though the dish leaned a little oily. The carrot and cucumber salad on the side brought a welcome crunch.
We followed this with Chicken shapale. These golden, deep-fried pastry pockets had a crisp exterior and juicy, seasoned chicken filling. We enjoyed them, though by this point the generous portions had caught up with us. The shaphale came with both the spicy momo chutney and hot garlic sauce, giving us a choice between a fiery kick and a milder, garlicky accompaniment.
We were accompanied by coolig mocktails that helped us cruise through the meal. The Mint mojito was refreshing, while the Chilli guava drink had a sweet-spicy kick, almost like a guava picante, complete with a chilli garnish.
The menu’s newer Himalayan specialities include dishes such as sadeko, tingmo, thenthuk, mokthuk and dhangthuk are worth exploring if you are looking for something beyond the usual momo-and-noodles fare. These less familiar dishes can be harder to find in Chennai, and Darjeeling Cafe’s budget-friendly pricing makes them more approachable.
Meal for two: INR 800. 12 pm to 10 pm. At Darjeeling Cafe, Nungambakkam.
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