Momolicious Nepalese Food Truck Stolen and Recovered

Momolicious, the popular Nepalese food truck, had one of its trucks stolen last week, but just announced that it’s been recovered — although the vehicle sounds worse for wear. The truck had been last seen parked on Wednesday evening around 7 p.m. in Emeryville, in a gated lot with security cameras right outside of the business’s commissary kitchen, as reported by the East Bay Times. Momolicious has been closed since March, and the owners just started prepping to reopen. They had to jumpstart the vehicle, leaving the keys in the ignition and the motor running. When they went to check on it after half an hour, the truck was gone.

Owners Sudeep Khatiwada and Anup Bajracharya first thought it might have been a prank. “I couldn’t believe it,” Khatiwada told the Times. “Who would want to do such a thing? We are good with everyone.” After all, the momo-mobile is hardly inconspicuous. Standing 24 feet long, 10 feet tall, and painted bright right, the truck was tricked out with food service equipment, and valued at $100,000. It’s not clear whether this was simply a crime of opportunity, but the owner of the lot conjectured that thieves might be after the generators, which he believed could resell for up to $6,000 on “the black market,” he told Fox KTVU 2.

Fortunately, the truck has been recovered. Momolicious posted on social media late Friday night, confirming the truck was found in West Oakland. “It’s going to take a while for this baby to recover,” the post reads, thanking the Oakland and Emeryville police departments for tracking it down, as well as all of their dedicated dumpling fans who circulated the license plate info. Eater SF has reached out to the owners regarding the extent of the damages, and will update this story as soon as we hear back.

Momolicious

Fortunately, Momolicious has a second truck, which will be back in action next week. The mobile momo vendor often parks at Off the Grid and Embarcadero Plaza, as well as riding through the East Bay, so check back on the schedule and show these guys some love. Bajracharya and Khatiwada are relatively new chef-owners who grew up in Nepal and launched a popular YouTube channel before rolling out the trucks in 2017. They’re known for fiery momos, but also chicken curry and chow mein, all infused with a signature blend of warm spices.

The truck got a fun fist bump after Steph Curry and Nipsey Hussle swung by in 2018. “Spicy momo, that’s what up,” Hussle quipped. “Spicy heaven,” Curry proclaimed.

• Popular food truck stolen in Emeryville [East Bay Times]
• Momolicious food truck stolen in Emeryville [Fox KTVU 2]
• Where to Stock up on Frozen Dumplings in the Bay Area