Kung Fu Dumplings

Christchurch may be a long jaunt from Kathmandu, but you won't have to go nearly as far for Kathmandu-style momo dumplings. In fact, you can find them lovingly handcrafted right here in Kaiapoi.

Kung Fu Dumplings launched in 2014, inspired by the owner's hometown of Kathmandu. Though Alok Pradhan went to university for electrical engineering and worked in that field for 10 years before going into sales, he gave up corporate life after the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and never looked back. While he never had a restaurant or trained formally as a chef, he grew up cooking alongside his family in Nepal. New Zealanders have BBQ's, but in Nepal, the Nepalese gather to make momos together. The food truck offers a glimpse into Alok's childhood when he and his brother could put away 30 to 40 dumplings at a time!  

The dumplings are steamed or pan-fried to perfection and there's something to suit everyone, thanks to classic options like chicken and beef alongside vegan flavours, like kale and kumara. We'd be remiss to not also mention their mouthwatering Giant Pork Buns, which are perfectly pillowy and intensely flavourful. You can find the electric yellow food truck at the Riccarton Market every Sunday, the Bush Inn Night Market on Saturday, and various other events and festivals throughout the city.