All aboard The Darjeeling Express!

Bangladesh's food scene has become saturated in different iterations of momos—with each food joint promising authentic Nepali flavours. 

But when Seemanti Paul – who spent 12 years in a Darjeeling hostel run by a couple with Bengali and Nepali roots – went on a hunt for the best Nepali momos in Bangladesh, she was only met with disappointment.

This led her to launch The Darjeeling Express cloud kitchen in 2022. Her venture has become an amalgamation of, what she claims as, authentic North Indian, Bengali, Nepali, Tibetan and Hakka cuisines. With these many cuisines on their menu, it sure seems like the cloud kitchen has a lot on its plate. 

The food of Darjeeling itself is a blend of Nepalese, Tibetan, Bengali, Indian and Sikkimese flavours. Momos are a particularly favourite street food of Darjeeling, which is why Seemanti sought authentic momos after she returned to Bangladesh. Her business initially began with just momos then slowly branched out to curries and more. 

The most interesting part about The Darjeeling Express menu is the wide range of options. We sampled a few of the intriguing dishes as well as a few bestsellers after ordering it directly from its Instagram page (@the_darjeeling_express_bd).

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that the cloud kitchen is gearing up for a Foodpanda launch within the upcoming weeks.

Nepali Jhol momo (chicken)

The Nepali Jhol momo consists of around five pieces of momo submerged in a nutty gravy. The dish can be comfortably shared among two to three people. 

The gravy itself is quite thick, making it the perfect consistency to pair with momos. The folds and grooves of the momos hold onto the coat of gravy, making sure that you get the perfect bite each time. 

The gravy's orange colour comes from its tomato and spice base, which also gives it a very dynamic flavour profile. But what took me back was its gritty mouthfeel and almost nutty flavour, which helped round out the spiciness.

Furthermore, the spice in the dish starts mild but quickly builds up. If your spice tolerance is poor, like mine, make sure to have a glass of water ready. 

Price: Tk520

Chicken Tikka Masala

The Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the bestsellers. The curry can serve around two to three people. After the first bite, it made sense why it was so. While the delivery took a while to get to us, it did not take long for the Chicken Tikka Masala to disappear from our plates. 

The tomato and cream-based gravy was perfectly mild and seemed like it was made to pair with their lemon rice (the rice probably gets its name from its colour rather than its flavour, as it tastes more like nuts and lentils).

It seemed like a lot of care went into the making of the dish. The chicken did not feel like it was separate from the gravy— a telling sign of proper marination of the protein.

Price: Tk800

Assamese Black Sesame Chicken

The Assamese Black Sesame Chicken was the dish I was looking forward to the most; one that was new to me. However, it received a mixed reaction from the table. The North Indian dish gets its dark colour from a black sesame seed paste that coats the chicken. 

Though everyone at the table was not on board with it, I found it to be an oddly comforting and hearty dish. The chicken borrows the ever-so-slightest nuttiness from the sesame it is coated in. However, surprisingly, the flavour that stands at the forefront is a spinach-like taste—an ingredient I did not anticipate tasting, given that it is not on the ingredients list.

The only critique is that the chicken probably needed a bit more time on the stove to allow the flavours to seep into it. At the same time, it should be noted that the amount of spice in the dish tended to overtake the sesame, its highlight. 

Price: Tk700

Chicken Taipo

Taipo is a large steamed bun that originates from Tibet, and it is quite the beast. One taipo can fill up one whole bowl. So, it probably leans on a bit more than just a snack. 

However, despite its large size, the chicken taipo does not feel too heavy. Consisting of a minced chicken, vegetable and egg mixture, wrapped in a fluffy, light dough – the taipo does not feel too heavy on the stomach. 

The filling of the taipo has a refreshing zing to it, similar to that of lemongrass. While the intensity of the curries' spices could get a bit overwhelming, the taipo was quite the opposite. The balance of flavours allowed the ingredients to speak for themselves.

The taipo revealed one fact: The Darjeeling Express' strengths lie in dumplings and steamed bun items, especially if you favour simpler flavours. 

Price: Tk320 for two pieces

Gajar Ka Halwa

The Gajar Ka Halwa is an honourary mention and a must-try from their menu. Though this dessert is already popular in Bangladesh, it still managed to stand out. The condensed milk, ghee and warm spices combine with the sweetness of the shredded carrots it is cooked in, in perfect measure.  

For sweet tooths out there, this dessert is absolutely worth the try. 

Price: Tk220