Potala Fresh Momo

My favorite momo food cart in the city!

Momos are nothing new to the neighborhood, but street side ones a la Potala Fresh Momo are definitely a first in Sunnyside. Hailing from the famous late night cart in Jackson Heights (
), it seems the momo movement is well on its way west to bring some diversity to a hood dominated by taco, Halal, and gyro carts.
One thing worth pointing out, Potala Fresh Momo Sunnyside doesn’t actually stay out late. On most nights, it’s already closing up shop by 10pm and is often found underneath the 7 Train 46^th Street stop or more likely on 47^th, past Greenpoint Ave. The prices are the same as the original and the lines are almost always nonexistent.
Folks will get their choice of their momo dumplings either steamed or fried. There are beef and chicken momos, but no vegetarian ones to report for now. Each order is $ 5 and for a little more, one can buy some prepackaged ones that are frozen. Unless you’re a serious momo fiend, the steamed /​fried ones suit me just fine. If going the fried route, shoot for the chicken and if steamed is your thing, beef is the way to go. Don’t forget the hot sauce.
The cart is operated by a sweet Tibetan woman who speaks just enough English to take orders. Of course, Nepalese, Tibetan, and Mandarin are also within this lady’s range of tongues, As always, the cart is cash only and drinks are limited to water. Here’s hoping they’re able to stick around Sunnyside for the long term.

Cheap and excellent quality momos. They look and taste great. Very friendly service. I will be a regular here. Red chili sauce is wicked spicy so be careful!

You can see the scrolling lights down the street but you wouldn’t be able to tell it’s a Momo cart. You’d have to go up close to find that out. It’s totally by happenstance that I came across this stand walking across the street and I was thinking ooh and huh, Momo from a cart… then Momo from a cart? I look in and I see pots covered with what I assume as Momos steaming.
I order 8 chicken Momos for $ 5 and walk down the street to eat them because I like eating things right away when I order them, when warm or hot. The reason I don’t eat them there is because the cart is right there off the subway station. And under this subway platform, it’s dirty, so I walk away to eat.
They are steaming hot (temperature-​wise), duh Andrew. The Momos are tiny. But they are filling, because of it’s dense and thick dough. The chicken filling is tasty but not that flavorful. The chicken is a bit on the meaty side. By the time I finish all 8, it felt like a meal but wanted a second order. They are pretty good, not bad, not great. Maybe if they had a lighter texture. If this were a restaurant, I’m sure it’s acclaim would be a little higher.
It includes a tiny tub of chili sauce, this is not hot sauce. I drizzled once and then again and I said no more. It reeks a little and not burns but I can feel the heat in mouth and I can feel it hit my stomach, whoo, good stuff!

GOOD NEWS!!! The truck has moved to the 46^th and Bliss subway entrance!!!
Walking out of the subway I saw it and couldnt help myself… Steamed dumplings with the awesome spic red sauce! I spoke to the owner tonight and he told me he now has two trucks the one in Jackson Heights that we all know and love and the new one in Sunnyside. Also, the dumplings are made by hand by 4 Tibetan women… Sorry Jando, don’t know the hours of operation though.
I think Suzanna had a unique experience or may have had a different expectation of Tibetan Momos because I have had these dumplings more than a dozen times and they have always been awesome… I also make an effort to bring friends to try them since they are probably the best dumplings in the city.

I don’t know if it was an off day but the beef inside the momos we ordered was gristly and smelled a little funky. If you want cheap eats, this is the place, but I don’t think I would ever order anything from here again.