Rildok, the traditional Sherpa soup, usually has dumplings made from extensively pounded potatoes. But those are too labor-intensive for this 12-table spot in Long Island City, where every item is prepared by one chef referred to as “Auntie.” Instead they use fufu, and that decision pays dividends. The rildok, with its hearty tomato-and-blue-cheese broth and donut-shaped dumplings that dissolve in your mouth, should be the first thing on your table. 

Supplement with an order of jhol momos embedded in a paint-thick sauce with shards of peanut swimming about. Compared to Jackson Heights, this area doesn’t have a ton of Tibetan and Himalayan food, but it does have at least one great option, perfect for a comforting (and completely halal) weeknight meal.

photo credit: Bryan Kim

photo credit: Bryan Kim

photo credit: Bryan Kim