Namaste Cafe's bison mamacha: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 48

By Emily Weiss Fri., Feb. 15 2013 at 8:00 AM

Categories: 50 Favorite Dishes

Courtesy Namaste Cafe

Mamacha, momo, dumplings -- whatever you call them, call them good.

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes.

Every culture has its dumpling, but the Nepalese mamacha (sometimes called momo) are in a category all their own. Namaste Cafe makes them with a few different fillings -- lamb, chicken, or veggie -- but our favorite without a doubt is the ground bison.

See also:

Somos Peru's crema volteada: no. 50

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub's waffle-battered chicken sandwich: no. 49

This is a bold little bite for such a peaceful setting, and never has an appetizer that's steamed instead of fried been so tasty. The delicate wrappers are very much like wontons, but the kicker is the mixture that's tucked inside. The lean and slightly gamey bison, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and a few other spices that Namaste keeps on the down low, all work like magic inside the little bundles.

The mamacha come six to an order, with a day-glo red-hot dipping sauce, so they're perfect to share and even better to have as a main dish all to yourself. Order a mug of hot chai or restorative ayurvedic tea (or a big ol' Kingfisher beer), dig in, and awaken the divine.

50 Favorite Dishes:

No. 50: Somos Peru's crema volteada
No. 49: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub's waffle-battered chicken sandwich