Lhasa Fast Food
“It is located behind a cell phone store with only a 1-foot laminated sign pointing the way from the street.”
“My friend and I shared the spicy beef noodle soup, beef momo and soup dumplings and all were very good.”
“The Mok Thuk is killer as well.”
Lhasa Fast Food
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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After hearing about momos, I really wanted to try it for myself in NY. I didn't know where to go, but luckily I saw an episode on Eater which introduced me to this place! It was really helpful watching the episode as it helped me find this place and introduced items for me to order.
The entrance is a bit obscure because there is no sign directing you to this place. There is only a piece of paper taped on a door to lead you to this place. You enter through the cell phone shop, but DO NOT walk down the stairs. Instead, walk straight to the back and you will have found this hidden gem. It's a bit confusing once you get in because there is no counter to order and no one seating you at the tables. I was confused on what to do so I followed other people's lead and sat myself down. There are only six small tables, so you might have to wait for seats. My party ordered the beef momos and the momos in soup. The momos are similar to the Chinese soup dumplings, except that the skin is much thicker and there is much more meat. The beef momos were so tasty. The beef was so flavorful, tender and juicy. There is only just a bit of soup that is inside the dumpling, but it was still so good. The hot sauce they have is a perfect complement to the momos! The momos in soup were also good. The momos were the same beef momos and the soup was a spicy clear broth with red oil on top. I really enjoyed the soup because it was reminiscent of a Sichuan flavor.
Overall, food was fresh and delicious! But what really makes this place is the friendly staff. They are nice and will help you through the menu. Also, when you are finished, you just tell the staff what you had and pay in cash. So the staff really trust the customers and go on an honor system. You don't have to tip on the tables either, but you can if you want in their tip jar.
If you've never had momos, this is the place to try them!
This restaurant was featured on Eater. I had to visit to try the dishes that looked so delicious. It was my first time venturing into Jackson Heights. The restaurant is located right by the 74st Jackson Heights subways station. (Bf drove to Queens, we did not take the subway).
Do not walk downstairs into the luggage shop. The nice people there pointed us back upstairs. (They're probably used to lost and confused looking people wandering into their shop). There's a door to the right, next to the stairs where you enter into the cell phone shop and proceed to walk down the hallway to Lhasa.
Though it's called Lhasa fast food, the food doesn't actually come out quickly. It seemed like it is made fresh, per order, so be prepared to wait 10-15mins for your first dish.
Beef momo $6 for 8pcs – as others have said, they look like a larger, more doughy version of Shanghai soup dumplings. The flavor was very gamey to me, with some herb seasoning. It was interesting. Was mostly meat and had a bit of soup/juice inside.
Soup dumplings $7 – this was essentially the momo in broth. Still good, just not what I was expecting. The broth was good, had clear noodles with scallions and spinach in it. Not spicy.
Phinsha $6 – beef slices with clear noodles, firm tofu, wood mushroom in a super spicy broth. This was super spicy. It tasted very good, but I only had a little bit of broth and noodles before I gave up. There was a layer of red spicy oil at the top of the bowl. This is good for people who can really take the heat, aka my bf.
The milk tea is off to the side. The ginger milk tea was good, just not enough ginger flavor for me. It was already sweetened.
Overall, $20 for a meal was a steal. I would stop by again if I was in the area. Remember to bring cash!
I have to say one of the great things about living in NYC is the diversity of food and neighborhoods which you go to in order to find that food and partly the fun of finding a place.
Lhasa Fast Food is one of those that maybe on in NYC. Firstly, you have to trek to Jackson Heights and yes that is beyond the borders of Manhattan. In fact it is in Queens. I heard the audible gasp from the Manhattanites.
Secondly, for the first timer it is like Magellan's expedition to the unknown world. The no-frills restaurant is found after following the paper arrow on the door directing you to head behind the mobile shop is like how he must have felt discovering the new world. Excitement, enthusiastic of getting there.
The menu is simple posted on the wall once you figure out what each items are. The service is friendly but don't expect it to be fast. It is casual here. As the Tibetan Proverb, 'At the bottom of patience is Heaven' and that holds true here after ordering. Wait until it comes out as you are rewarded with a meal to savor.
The food is hearty, comforting and the momos are delicious. Enjoy it.
First time I've had Himalayan food so going in I was unaware for what to expect. If this is childhood comfort to you, it will probably be reminiscent of some damn good home-cooked meals.
Unfortuately, this was just not my cup of tea, including the cup of tea I ordered. Traditional Tibetan tea has butter and salt added. Supposed to have health benefits but as a newcomer to this type of cuisine, it was not something I was used to. The food on the other hand was much better, naturally spicy and hearty.
Momo look exactly like Chinese Xiao Long Bao but are nothing like them. Taste is much more vegetable driven, and the skin is thicker. Dumplings are still very juicy and flavorful – if you're looking for more of the umami flavor, regular soy, vinegar soy, and a few spicy sauces are available on the table.
I don't deny the flavor this eatery exerts. I still highly recommend this place for anyone looking for good comfort food.
They have the best momos in town. Dumpling skin-to-filling ratio is perfect. Juicy, fresh, cheap. Very friendly and accomodating service, too. No frills, cozy space. Good, classic music from the motherland. Drink options are standard canned sodas though.
We finally made it out to check out this hole in the wall and a sign says they will be back since a month ago. The store owner in the front did not know if hey will be back. How sad. I really wanted to try their soup dumplings and the location sparks more taste buds.
Lhasa is a very good pick for delicious, affordable Nepalese food in Jackson Heights. But some necessary warnings: this place is difficult to find – it's in a mini-mall, behind an electronics store in the back – and contrary to its name, it took a while for us to get our food. (Think 20-30 minutes.) It's also a place just for a quick meal, not for atmosphere or service. If that's all ok with you, then you're in for a treat.
We ordered Tibetan noodles, phinsha (kind of like Vietnamese pho), and momos. Both noodle dishes were hot, filling, and filled with flavor and fresh ingredients. I'm not even a soup person, but they were a perfect antidote for a winter day. But the momos, they were excellent! Imagine dumplings with well-seasoned meat, then pair it with a spicy red sauce. Wow! They were tasty, well-crafted (e.g., the folds of the dumpling), and juicy, which is too rare among dumplings. Considering how affordable this place is, I'll certainly be returning to Lhasa for a quick bite in the future.
Come here for the momos. If you're not familiar with momos, they're a thicker skinned dumpling filled in this case with perfectly spiced beef and a slight bit of meat juices. They were the highlight of our meal here. They only cost $6 for an order of 8 or so (I think). We got two orders to share amongst the three of us.
The Tibet noodle and phinsa were good as well but not as excellent as the momos. The Tibetan tea is a nice beverage to warm you up, but if you haven't had it before you should know it mostly tastes like butter and milk, not like any other tea I've ever had. The Tibetan tea here was better than the tea at Phayul, which I found too salty.
This place is hidden behind a cell phone store, do not go downstairs into the luggage store. Just wind your way behind the cell phone store to enter. There is seating for about 15 people and it's a no frills atmosphere. It took 30-40 minutes to get our food dive they only have two people freshly preparing all the food.