BHUTANESE CUISINE

Bhutanese cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Tibetan and Indian culture. The main dish, which generally includes white or red rice, seasonal vegetables, and meat (pork and chicken), are often cooked with chili or cheese. If you like Chinese food, you should be rather comfortable with Bhutanese food. However, do note that the Bhutanese like to cook their food with cheese so you would often see a portion of the selection containing cheese. You may want to bring comfort food such as dried pork and chilies if you are particular about food.

However, don’t be too worried if you aren’t able to take it too spicy. A majority of Bhutan’s professional chefs take into account the foreigners’ less spicy taste. Most restaurants in Bhutan offer customers a range from Continental to Chinese, and from Bhutanese to Tibetan and Indian cuisine. International fare is usually limited, but most hotels offer dinner in buffet style, which includes many different cuisines. Whenever you are dining out, always inquire what is available and what is in season. In a restaurant the full cutlery ensemble will usually be provided, but in a local café you may be limited to the option of a spoon or using your right hand and bowl of rice to mop up the meal.

It is generally safe to eat out in the major restaurants but avoid fresh salads if you’re concerned. One important point to note is to avoid drinking water directly from the tap thus, steps to purify water should be taken, or else drink only bottled water, as Bhutan’s agro industry has excellent bottled spring water. Furthermore, the price of a 1-liter bottle of water is only 6 BTN (0.10 USD).

On the left is a typical lunch at a Bhutanese restaurant consisting of red rice (unpolished rice), local produce, meat, and not forgetting Ema Datsa (Chili and Cheese). Additionally, breakfast generally consists of puffed corn or rice soaked in butter tea, though porridge is also common. A good number of Bhutanese people are vegetarian, therefore, there is a good variety of vegetarian food available although much of it is made using a liberal amount of chili and a smothering of cheese sauce. Ingredients such as nettles, fern fronds, orchids, asparagus, taro, and several varieties of mushroom appear in the traditional vegetarian dishes. For extra precaution, vegans should ask if a dish contains cheese or eggs when ordering.

The cost of dining out in an average Bhutanese restaurant for a single person can range from 320 BTN (5 USD) to 2,000 BTN (32 USD). For comparison sake, a combo meal at McDonalds or some place similar will roughly total up to 127 BTN (2 USD), and a 0.5-liter of domestic beer can land anywhere between 80 BTN (1.25 USD) and 150 BTN (2.40 USD).

There are generally more restaurants in the capital, Thimphu, and the southern town of Phuentsholing. In the capital, the sweet milk tea (ngad-ja) is broadly available and may be served in a pot, accompanied with snacks. Otherwise, those who are adventurous might want to attempt a cup of Suja, a Tibetan butter style tea with salt and butter that the Bhutanese frequently drink. It is actually more like soup than tea, and is surprisingly tasty and warming for your stomach on a cold day. Moreover, the local brew called Ara, which is distilled from rice, barley, or wheat is also attainable, as well as other locally produced beer and whiskey.

The picture on the left is of a cafe in Thimphu. There are some cafes that provide free wireless network for their customers
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Ema Datshi – A vegetarian dish made of chili and cheese.
Phak Sha Laphu – Stewed pork recipe with radish.
Yak Skin – Fried and served as a snack.
No Sha Huentseu – Stewed beef dish with spinach.
Phak Sha Phin Tshoem – Pork with rice noodles.
Bja Sha Maroo – Chicken in garlic and butter sauce.
Momos – Chicken, pork, or cheese mouthwatering dumplings.
Dal Bhat – Simple rice and lentils.
Kewa Datse – Potatoes with cheese sauce.
Barthu – Fried noodles or noodle soup.
Ezays – Spicy dips containing chopped onions and chili with cheese or red chili paste.
Thueb – Porridge made from rice or flat noodles, topped with fried meat.
Jasha Maroo – A curry minced chicken dish. (as seen on the picture below)
Fing – Cellophane noodles that are popular with meat dishes.
Khur-le – Buckwheat pancakes (as seen on the picture below)