Arms gesturing vigorously, Kishore Raj Pandey explains the difference between Mongolian and Aryan momos lies in the soya sauce. It's easy to see the businessman behind the Belle Momo chain of restaurants is a connoisseur. "I'm better in theory than in the kitchen," he laughs. "But I have enhanced the taste of momos using a secret combination of spices and flavours."

For Kishore, appreciation for the delectable dumpling began in his childhood growing up near Hanuman Dhoka. As he and his friends gobbled down platefuls of momos at Jharna Restaurnat, a hole in the wall on a small lane leading towards Freak Street, he'd watch in fascination as the shopkeeper deftly pleated the delicate flour wrappers.

Years later, as a young hotel management graduate from Germany, he joined the Yak & Yeti Hotel, where he worked his way up to assistant general manager before moving on to a seven-year stint at Hotel de la Annapurna. His first independent project was Bhanchha Ghar, a Nepali restaurant set in a faithfully restored aristocratic house that offered more than the routine dal-bhaat-tarkari. As locals, expats and tourists flocked there, Kishore noticed one thing: everyone loved the momos, whether as a main meal, an entr?e or a snack washed down with local firewater.

He was struck by its universal appeal and noticed that while food fads like the burger and pizza craze came and went, the little momo was always king. So, when the time came to expand his business he went with his gut instinct and took the momo south of the border to posh Connaught Place in the heart of New Delhi. Now, Kishore has brought Belle Momo home to Darbar Marg. In the pleasant outdoor seating area, Kishore expansively charts the momo's journey across the mountains. "The momo originated in China as dim sum and was adapted by the Tibetans," he explains. "Traders returning from Tibet brought the bite-sized momos home, and that is how we find them in their present shape and form in Kathmandu."

Belle Momo has a mouth-watering selection, the prices are wallet friendly and it's spotless so as not to imperil your system. Kishore decided his products had to be healthier so he had his chefs work on a way to make juicy, melt-in-the-mouth momos sans the traditional dollop of lard at the core. Even vegetarians who are generally ignored by momo-masticators will be delighted with the peanut paneer momo. (Sraddha Basnyat)