Queens Tribune

Shangrila Express
Corner of Broadway and 74th Street
(718) 440-4102
Cuisine: Tibetan
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. daily
Parking: Street
www.shangrilaexpress.com
It’s hard to stand out in the Jackson Heights food scene.
The neighborhood is home to some of the best food in the city and competition is rough.
But this did not scare Weser Dorjee and his nephew, Namgyal Ghongpa, who scouted the scene and decided it was the best place to operate their vending cart. They had a secret weapon.
The Elmhurst duo are probably the only people in New York who offer Tibetan food to go.
Situated on the corner of Broadway and 74th Street, right near the Jackson Heights subway stop, the friendly duo opened Shangrila Express just across the street from the renowned Sammy’s Halal.
Offering a different menu than their Middle Eastern neighbor will probably bode will with the community.
“We chose this spot because there are a lot of Tibetans but no food that easy to take with you,” Dorjee said.
The duo opened their vending window Oct. 11 to coincide with the Dali Lama’s visit to the Washington D.C. to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Then they closed it for a week so they could celebrate in D.C. with family and friends.
Dorjee honed his cooking skills in Dharamsala, India where many Tibetan refugees have fled from the Chinese occupation.
Ghongpa said he always had an interest in food but credits New York City for the opportunity to run his own business.
“It’s amazing that New York City allows us to have this pushcart,” he said. “Otherwise my dream would be left behind.”
Shangrila Express offers a verity of menu items but for first timers the choice is easy; momos and shabalay.
For $4 you can get eight momos, a steamed Tibetan dumpling stuffed with seasoned beef. Their mild taste can pique anyone’s palate but can be spiced up with the duo’s sepen, a red hot sauce that is both spicy and sweet.
Momos are served throughout the Jackson Height’s area but usually are heavy with dough. The momos at Shangrila are much lighter and eight of them will easily fill your hungry stomach without that need-to-loosen-your-belt feeling.
Think of a shabalay as a Himalayan hamburger. Instead of a bun the beef patty is encased in flaky dough and fried. The meal comes with lettuce and tomato for a do-it-yourself burger. The flavors smack of onion and cilantro, add heat from the sepen and enjoy.
Neither dish should scare the timid taste-testers. If you’re looking for food in Jackson Heights, you can’t go wrong with these staples but for those more adventuresome, Shangrila Express offers their take on chicken and rice.
If you have a mild tongue make sure you tell them. This dish is spicy and is served over yellow rice. I like it hot and I thought this dish was terrific and filling.
Tenzin Choerab of Woodside, who used to work in Manhattan’s Tibetan Kitchen, heard about the vending cart from a friend and said he liked it.
“I think they do a good job with Tibetan food,” he said.
-Brad Groznik