At Darjeeling Kitchen and Cafe in Astoria, tables are filled with family and friends chatting under low lights as servers carry out hot bowls of dumplings, the steam emanating into the inviting atmosphere as guests dine and indulge in Himalayan cuisine. The space has already become known for their momos, or dumplings, to other dishes, like a piping hot bowl of soup called Bildok, a traditional Sherpa soup, often eaten on the way up to Everest, the spicy flavors leaving a pleasant tingling on their lips, long after their spoon has lapped up the last drop.
The restaurant, which opened this past spring, located at 31-12 36th Ave. in Astoria, is a family-run venture through and through, from the artwork adorning the walls, to one of their tables, taken from owners Tashi Lama and Tsering Dolkar’s own kitchen, to the restaurant’s dishes, made lovingly by their aunt.
“All of the decor has been gifted to us, or we bought it from home; for instance, this dining table, we had it at home, and I feel like it invites people to come together,” said Dolkar. “It’s more community-based, where it’s not just a restaurant. We don’t want people to just eat and then leave. I’m a consumer, too, so at the end of the day, when I go somewhere, I want to be treated like I’m welcome there.”
The restaurant, which officially opened in March, is the couple’s first ever business and restaurant. The venture would almost seem to be equal parts destiny along with hard work and dedication, after the Queens-based couple happened to walk past the space while visiting a nearby ramen spot after discovering that the space was available for rent.
“My husband saw an ad on Facebook saying that the restaurant was for sale, and we were just walking around in the area, so we thought, let’s just check it out,” said Dolkar. “It was not even something that we were planning to do. My auntie, [Pupu Chhangi], who’s the chef, was working at another cafe, and she always wanted to open a restaurant. Tashi and I were already looking to open up a cafe somewhere, a restaurant was not our first option, but since it worked out with my auntie being there, it was really serendipity.”
Within just a couple of months they completely renovated the former Chinese food restaurant, learning everything for the first time, from redesigning and decorating the space, to curating a menu inspired by their favorite dishes, along with dishes growing up inspired by Tashi’s mom, and Chhangi’s culinary vision. The result is handmade dumplings, steamed or pan-fried, with typical fillings like chicken and beef, as well as unique options like an oyster mushroom filling, shrimp, or mixed vegetables. Other dishes, such as an appetizer called Aloodum, typically served in Indian and Nepali restaurants, offer a warm and hearty dish featuring potatoes cooked in a spicy and flavorful gravy, sprinkled with crunchy chickpea flour noodles. There’s the shabhaley, a Tibetan food similar to empanadas, but with thicker dough and a juicier meat seasoned with homemade sauce. There’s also the Darjeeling-style thukpa, a clear beef noodle soup with simmered bone broth over 24 hours, topped with ground beef, cilantro, and onions.
“These are all dishes that we all grew up eating,” said Dolkar. “Momo is something that you don’t eat every single day because it’s like a family thing. Everybody sits down and one rolls the dough, one fills the meat, one makes the designs, so growing up it’s been more of a festive event, but now like every day is like a celebration.”
While the space is known for its food, they also offer an array of special drinks, including the lassi — a refreshing sweet yogurt drink — and masala chai tea, as well as their coffee, which ranges from Americano to mocha latte. Eventually, the owners would like to unveil a Sunday morning event featuring a DJ spinning music while customers meet up for coffee or lunch, creating a festive and upbeat atmosphere. The concept continues to follow in their vision to create more than just a restaurant, but a space where people can meet and feel welcome.
“Instead of drinking and going out at night, they’re waking up early and coming in to drink their coffee, eat and talk with their friends,” said Dolkar. “It’s something that makes it more of a space for people to come in and feel like they belong-that’s what I really want, and that’s what makes me really happy.”
Darjeeling Kitchen and Cafe is open from 12-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
