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Lungta

Himalayan food has been steadily expanding past the epicenter of Jackson Heights. Over the years, Tibetan and Nepali restaurants have opened in Sunnyside, Woodside, Ridgewood and Elmhurst. Lungta is the newest entrant to the fray, located in a new building on Broadway between 75th and 76th Streets.  Outside is a logo of the mythical wind horse that it is named after. It is billed as an “Asian Bistro,” but the cuisine skews heavily Tibetan with some Bhutanese and Chinese/Indian fusion.

The space is bright and inviting and like other Himalayan restaurants in the area, very friendly service. We knew that the spicy sizzling momos were a must-order thanks to our friend Wendy who hipped us to this place. Gyuma, or blood sausage, was another item that we immediately ordered. As fans of tripe, we were drawn to the dreopa khatsa, a Tibetan style honeycomb tripe dish. On the last page of the menu, we spotted a Bhutanese specialties section. From here, we chose pork paa, a sauteed pork dish with chilies.

Up first, the spicy momos arrived on the sizzling platter. It was so hot that they left a mini potholder on the handle. We chose a chicken filling, which had a nice flavor. Unlike other sizzling momos, the dumplings here weren’t stuck to the platter thanks to a layer of lettuce. We enjoyed the spicy sweet sauce that bubbled on the scalding platter. In fact, the sauce was so tasty that we finished up all of the lettuce, onions and peppers that accompanied the dumplings.

Next, the gyuma arrived. Blood sausage sliced into pieces is a staple whenever we visit a Tibetan or Nepali restaurant.  Normally, we are huge fans of this dish and have had mostly excellent versions. Unfortunately, this one lacked flavor and was just ordinary. Compared to nearby Phayul, which serves a fragrant version studded with cumin seeds, this had no additional flavor to it. But, we still finished the portion thanks to the chili sauce on the table. Thankfully, this was the only dish that was a miss.

Unlike the gyuma, the droepa khatsa was a home run. Sliced honeycomb tripe was covered with chili and cooked to a perfectly tender consistency. Chopped chives added some nice crunch to the dish. Fortunately, the tripe didn’t have any sort of funky taste, a sign that it was well-cleaned. We couldn’t stop devouring the offal! Definitely a must-order if you are a tripe lover and if not, it may turn you into a fan.

Finally, the pork paa arrived glistening with dry chilies, potatoes, bok choy and scallions. Since we noticed a Bhutanese section of the menu, we wanted to order something from it to diversify the  Tibetan dishes we ordered. This dish was another winner, tender pork slices that absorbed a nice wok hei along with some numbing Sichuan peppercorns. The addition of bok choy and scallions added a lighter element and we welcomed some vegetables to our meal.

Although the number of Himalayan restaurants nearby are seemingly at a high saturation level, Lungta is an excellent addition. Seemingly, every new restaurant flourishes and we hope this also one will. This says a lot given the high level of competition in the neighborhood. Not only is the food excellent here, but the prices are very affordable and the space is inviting.

What are your favorite Himalayan restaurants in NYC? Are there any go-to dishes that you like from there? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.

Lungta can be found on our Queens food maps page in the Elmhurst map. 

Lungta

75-16 Broadway

Elmhurst, NY 11373

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