"I visited Gorkhali Brooklyn, a cozy Nepalese spot originally from Jackson Heights, with a group a few months ago. The staff were very friendly, and the prices were reasonable for Williamsburg, especially considering the generous portion sizes. The highlight is definitely the momos, priced by preparation rather than filling: plain steamed momos are $12, fried $13, jhol $14, and chili $15. We tried one from each main category. The momos are slightly larger than usual with juicy fillings. My favorite was the Pork Chili Momo at $15—excellent, with a perfect balance of sweet and spicy chili sauce. While not my absolute favorite (Kasthamdap holds that title), these were still very tasty and above average. The Simple Steamed Beef Momos at $12 were also good, with flavorful filling and nice texture. The Chicken Jhol Momos were just okay; the momos themselves were tasty, but the jhol sauce was a bit too light compared to my preferred spot, Tales From Everest.
The Pork Keema Noodles at $16, served with chili sauce, scallions, peanuts, and minced meat, were unique and reminded some of dan dan noodles, though less spicy and fragrant. The noodles had a good chew with a pleasant crunch from the peanuts, and there was plenty of meat. I’d recommend these as well. For a lighter noodle option, the Mixed Thenthuk at $15 features traditional Tibetan hand-pulled flat noodles with egg, beef, chicken, radish, and spinach. The noodles had a nice bounce, and the broth was delicately flavored, somewhat like an egg drop soup but less thick, with plenty of meat and egg strips. I’d likely order this often in colder months.
The Pani Puri for $9 was a DIY-style dish with hollow crackers filled with spiced potatoes and sour tamarind water. While I usually prefer the Indian versions for their stronger flavors, this was above average among Himalayan alternatives, though I wished for a bit more potato. The tamarind water had a good kick and heat, and the crunch was satisfying. We also tried the Sukuti, dried beef at $14, which was a solid version with plenty of meat and a nice, more hydrated texture, though slightly milder in spice than I prefer.
We planned to try Bhuttan, a goat offal dish for $14, but it wasn’t available, so we went with the Lasuni Gobi instead—batter-fried cauliflower tossed in tomato garlic sauce for $9. This was a standard but pleasant Nepalese take, with a light batter and nice garlic and tomato flavors, though generally on the milder side.
For dessert, we had the Rasmalai at $6—creamy cheese dumplings in sweetened milk, topped with saffron. These were nicely floral and a bit above average, with the expected spongy texture, though a sprinkle of slivered almonds would have added a nice finishing touch.
Overall, the food was good. It’s not the best Nepalese/Tibetan cuisine I’ve had, but nothing was disappointing despite ordering a lot.
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Price per person: $30–50 (dine-in)"
