Food In Bhutan
Traditional Bhutanese food is very spicy. The main vegetable used in many of the dishes is red chili peppers, so if you have a weakness to spicy food, I suggest you request one of their more mild dishes. There are many dishes that do not use meat, so it is easy to enjoy many meals if you cannot eat meat, just be sure to tell your travel agency beforehand. All the food is organic, so you can enjoy a fresh taste from delicious meals.
During most of our trip, we did not order specific food. The meal was brought out to us fairly quickly and a large variety was always presented. If you want something specific, you should tell your tour guide before going into the restaurant, so he or she can inform the restaurant staff.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is fairly simple. You will be provided a wheat cereal at most breakfasts with milk in a separate glass to pour in your bowl as you like. There will usually be a fruit juice of some kind, (mango, apple, etc.) and these are very rich as they are freshly made from fruits grown in the nearby town. Depending on the restaurant, you will also be presented a type of potato wedge, fruit platter, Bhutanese pancake, or oatmeal.
Lunch and Dinner:
Before being presented your meal, you will usually be asked if you would like coffee for tea. The tea is really delicious and the coffee is also something to try while you are there, but if you would prefer something more familiar, other beverages can be purchased. There are soft drinks, such as coke and sprite, fruit juices, and mineral water. Water is not free in Bhutan at restaurants as all drinking water is in purified, bottled water.
One dish you will be presented most every time at every restaurant is peppers with cheese. This dish is the hottest and most difficult to eat without a beverage. Before you try it, I suggest asking for a bottle of mineral water to have as a means of cooling your mouth should the peppers prove to be too much for you. I personally went through one entire water bottle on my own after trying this dish for the first time.
Other dishes include a thin white rice, chicken, beef, pork, fish, sliced potatoes in a think creamy gravy, different kinds of pastas, and usually a type of fruit for dessert. If you find the food difficult to eat, you can request with your travel agency to take you to restaurants that provided Western meals. Dessert is brought out as a part of the meal without being asked for, so be sure to try and save some room for pies, fruits, and other delicious treats!
For many of the meals you will be presented with a large variety of different foods to try. To be honest, it is quite difficult to finish everything that you are given, even if there are two people eating with a large appetite! Try your best to finish what you can, but don't make yourself sick. If you find you can't finish everything, thank the restaurant for the meal and say you are finished.
There are also more common meals to be found in Bhutan. There are ice cream shops, candy shops, and even an extremely delicious pizza restaurant in Thimpu called All Season Pizzeria. If you enjoy pizza, I highly suggest trying that restaurant.
During most of our trip, we did not order specific food. The meal was brought out to us fairly quickly and a large variety was always presented. If you want something specific, you should tell your tour guide before going into the restaurant, so he or she can inform the restaurant staff.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is fairly simple. You will be provided a wheat cereal at most breakfasts with milk in a separate glass to pour in your bowl as you like. There will usually be a fruit juice of some kind, (mango, apple, etc.) and these are very rich as they are freshly made from fruits grown in the nearby town. Depending on the restaurant, you will also be presented a type of potato wedge, fruit platter, Bhutanese pancake, or oatmeal.
Lunch and Dinner:
Before being presented your meal, you will usually be asked if you would like coffee for tea. The tea is really delicious and the coffee is also something to try while you are there, but if you would prefer something more familiar, other beverages can be purchased. There are soft drinks, such as coke and sprite, fruit juices, and mineral water. Water is not free in Bhutan at restaurants as all drinking water is in purified, bottled water.
One dish you will be presented most every time at every restaurant is peppers with cheese. This dish is the hottest and most difficult to eat without a beverage. Before you try it, I suggest asking for a bottle of mineral water to have as a means of cooling your mouth should the peppers prove to be too much for you. I personally went through one entire water bottle on my own after trying this dish for the first time.
Other dishes include a thin white rice, chicken, beef, pork, fish, sliced potatoes in a think creamy gravy, different kinds of pastas, and usually a type of fruit for dessert. If you find the food difficult to eat, you can request with your travel agency to take you to restaurants that provided Western meals. Dessert is brought out as a part of the meal without being asked for, so be sure to try and save some room for pies, fruits, and other delicious treats!
For many of the meals you will be presented with a large variety of different foods to try. To be honest, it is quite difficult to finish everything that you are given, even if there are two people eating with a large appetite! Try your best to finish what you can, but don't make yourself sick. If you find you can't finish everything, thank the restaurant for the meal and say you are finished.
There are also more common meals to be found in Bhutan. There are ice cream shops, candy shops, and even an extremely delicious pizza restaurant in Thimpu called All Season Pizzeria. If you enjoy pizza, I highly suggest trying that restaurant.