Food is consistently one of the things people remember most, not always because it was refined, but because it was genuinely different from anything they had eaten before.
Eating in Hotels vs Eating in Local Homes
The larger hotel groups, Amankora, Six Senses, Gangtey Lodge, serve versions of Bhutanese food that are refined and consistent, with international options alongside. The food is good. But it is not the same as eating in a farmhouse.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
Aum Tshomo, whose family has cooked for the royal household, welcomes guests into her farmhouse in Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, with dishes prepared the way they have always been: Ema Datse from her garden, buckwheat noodles rolled by hand, and homebrewed ara, a spirit distilled from rice or wheat, served warm. It is the kind of meal that stays with you longer than any restaurant.
Eating in Hotels vs Eating in Local Homes
The larger hotel groups, Amankora, Six Senses, Gangtey Lodge, serve versions of Bhutanese food that are refined and consistent, with international options alongside. The food is good. But it is not the same as eating in a farmhouse.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
Aum Tshomo, whose family has cooked for the royal household, welcomes guests into her farmhouse in Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, with dishes prepared the way they have always been: Ema Datse from her garden, buckwheat noodles rolled by hand, and homebrewed ara, a spirit distilled from rice or wheat, served warm. It is the kind of meal that stays with you longer than any restaurant.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
Aum Tshomo, whose family has cooked for the royal household, welcomes guests into her farmhouse in Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, with dishes prepared the way they have always been: Ema Datse from her garden, buckwheat noodles rolled by hand, and homebrewed ara, a spirit distilled from rice or wheat, served warm. It is the kind of meal that stays with you longer than any restaurant.
Eating in Hotels vs Eating in Local Homes
The larger hotel groups, Amankora, Six Senses, Gangtey Lodge, serve versions of Bhutanese food that are refined and consistent, with international options alongside. The food is good. But it is not the same as eating in a farmhouse.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
Aum Tshomo, whose family has cooked for the royal household, welcomes guests into her farmhouse in Bumthang, Bhutan’s spiritual heartland, with dishes prepared the way they have always been: Ema Datse from her garden, buckwheat noodles rolled by hand, and homebrewed ara, a spirit distilled from rice or wheat, served warm. It is the kind of meal that stays with you longer than any restaurant.
One of the experiences Amala has arranged for travellers over the years is a meal at a traditional Bhutanese home.
A Practical Note
Red rice is the staple grain, nuttier and denser than white rice, and grown in the Paro and Punakha valleys. It holds up well against the richness of cheese-based dishes and is worth eating on its own.
Buckwheat features heavily in the higher altitudes, particularly in Bumthang, where it is made into noodles and pancakes. Jasha Maru, a spiced minced chicken stew, is one of the more approachable dishes for those unused to the heat levels. Pork, often dried and smoked, is common in local homes.
Soup appears at most meals, usually a thin broth with vegetables or offal. Do not skip it; it is often the most restorative thing on the table after a long day of hiking.
Amala Travel
23 Balmoral Road, #03-25, Singapore 259806
+65 6734 0370 info@amaladestinations.com
IATA : 96601131
TA License: TA02145
Proud Members of Serandipians