“Nikheel Cafe” and its ‘momo’ – a perfect pair to relish

Gone are the days in which people used to find hard in having tasty snacks and other delicious food items like momo, chicken masala, soups, chow and many others in the town. With the changing food trend, certain cuisines have already booked their place in the food chain band wagon following public demand and appreciation. Besides the ever changing lifestyle, food habits also got new taste and so evolving and witnessing of new food outlets come in place to meet the needful. Items like momo, chow, macroni etc have now become after sought food stuffs with many fast food centre booming in the city area.

Nikheel Cafe situated at North A.O.C., Imphal is such one food centre which has been serving vast array of mouth-watering cuisines for the last many years. The cafeteria may not look flamboyant and gigantic in size but with its long serving and dedicated services, it has won hearts of many food lovers.

“People might have known the hotel through ours momo and other items but behind the taste there is our unrelenting hard work and dedicated services. We, at Nikheel Cafe believes in quality services and customers satisfaction”, says Kangabam Ibochouba, owner of the cafeteria who hails from Thangmeiband Hijam Leikai.

Speaking to Manipur times, Ibochouba expresses that the hotel has been striving hard since its inception to meet public’s demand considering the ever changing food fashion in the town.

Items ranging from beverage, cold drink, snacks, soups, salads to veg and non-veg cuisines like biryani, pulao, momo etc, one can experience the different taste of the centre in quick time.  

Though the fast food avails varieties of items, its skillfully made momo is quite popular among many people. The hotel’s momo comes in three forms – veg, chicken and pork. Amongst it, pork momo is the hot favourite. Its track record pointed out that whenever people decide for having tasty momo, the fast food seldom is a trusted and one of the strongest contenders food centre in the heart of the city.  

“Normally the hotel open at 11 am and deliver service till 7 pm. But we start our work starting from 5 am as we want to ensure our quality service and most importantly customers’ satisfaction”, he adds saying that among the different food items, the most challenging task is in preparing momo as it consumes much time.

The Nikheel Cafe came into existence in 1994 with just 5 tables and mere staffs. At some point of time, the hotel was badly hit when road expansion took place in and around the area. As of it, it had to rebuilt and restructure again.

At present, the hotel is employing 8 cooks. Out of them, 2-3 well experience cooks looks after preparing momo while others engages in making varieties of items. However, the fast food made sure that it is maintaining the quality services and taste of its different food items.  

Besides local customers, number of tourists also used to visit the place in many occasion. It is planning to expand the place and would be incorporating continental food items in its menu.

{gallery}MT-Stories/2013/2013-03/20130323-Nikhil-Cafe{/gallery}

Photo Credit: Surjit Soraisam

Around 150-200 customers visits the place on a normal day with customers making beeline especially in evening time. On regular basis, the hotel sells staggering 1000 piece of momo. It also receives orders on some special items for occasion like heijingpot, wedding, party etc.

Apart from its tasty momo, chicken fry (full/half), pork chilli (boneless), chicken chilli (full/half), chicken biryani, chicken noodle soup, pork macaroni etc are some of the delicious items being serve at the cafeteria.