Last year’s event, photo by Jeffrey Tastes
Nov. 2, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
How many dumplings can a single person eat? This weekend will offer the opportunity to test that question.
The fifth annual Momo Crawl is taking place on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m., offering participants the chance to eat $1 Himalayan dumplings from over 20 locations in Jackson Heights. Though it will be based out of Diversity Plaza, the participating restaurants are scattered throughout the neighborhood.
A momo is a type of Himalayan dumpling, but to organizer Jeff Orlick it represents much more.
“The momo is really magical and represents Himalayan culture,” Orlick said. “Only something as innocuous and nondenominational as the momo could bring people of all backgrounds together like this.”
Orlick said that the crawl started five years ago with about 30 of his friends, but has since grown and over 1,000 people participated last year.
“It’s the most awesome thing, it’s basically my dream come true to eat at every momo place in Jackson Heights,” he said.
In addition to eating, the event will also include a DJ and local performers, and other activities including free momo tattoos, free momo-inspired hairstyles, and $1 momo henna.
Participants can buy a momo map for $5 at the beginning of the crawl, and then at each vendor, each momo will cost $1. At the end of the event, participants will have the chance to vote for the best momo.
Past winners of the Momo trophy have included Amdo Kitchen, Lhasa Fast Food and Phayul Restaurant.
Orlick said that he would love to expand the event in the future, and possibly launch a non-profit based on his passion for the dumplings.
“In the future would love to make it in to a nonprofit based on the momo to promote entrepreneurship and promote Himalayan culture,” he said. “It’s something that is purely about the culture and the food, making it an incredible ambassador for the culture.”
Featured Events
One Comment
A momo is magical? A momo is the most awesome thing? A momo is my dream come true? I must be missing something