I had always imagined, Leh would've been a non-vegetarian's paradise, what with all the exotic animals abounding the region and the cold weather. And so I buckled up for a week long gastronomical journey of Chicken, mutton , Yak meat and all that moves...
And boy oh boy.. was I in for a shock!
Most of the eateries in and around Leh have limited stock of food and almost ALL are vegetarian for simple logistic reasons. The choices on your place are either home grown or dried and stored or ordered 2 days in advance.
Shocked .. sad & dejected ... ( not to mention out of breath in the high altitude & unexpectedly Hot weather -- read hotter than Delhi) .. But once one gets over the initial jolt of a "different" & "adjusted" cuisine, Leh although not quite a connoisseurs dream, is very VERY interesting .
The places sampled
Day1 - We slept most of the day to aclimitize. Evening strolled to the central Leh market to 1) Eat 2) buy T-shirts & summer clothes ( but that's another story for some other time )
The places tried today
Roadside Seekh Kababs
Smell - heavenly ; 2 "chicken" Seekhs for 50 Rs ( I try not to notice the husky dogs around & Take a bite )
Taste : I have definitely had better. Juicy on the outside; dry & chewy inside ; served with a small soft roomali roti.
Good if you are desperately craving some non-veg. But best avoid.
German Bakery
We tried the following
1) Coffee cake - Dry , tasted like it was made in the morning ; put me off sweets & cakes for the entire trip
2) Chocolate balls - Not bad ; just that the coconut gratings were an unnecessary addition
3) Shakshouka - The "non-egg" vegetarian version of the Israeli dish. A pleasant surprise, with beautifully saute'ed tomatoes, onions & capsicum with a "roti" - like Pita bread better that was better than the original Pita. A little on the spicy side, definitely indianized to suit the local palette - impressive enough for us to promise ourselves coming here the next mornign for breakfast.
4) Thukpa - The best part of the evening was the humble Thukpa - as authentic as it gets - Vegetarian again , but tasted just the right amount of soupy, noodley and spicy. Loved it.
And boy oh boy.. was I in for a shock!
Most of the eateries in and around Leh have limited stock of food and almost ALL are vegetarian for simple logistic reasons. The choices on your place are either home grown or dried and stored or ordered 2 days in advance.
Shocked .. sad & dejected ... ( not to mention out of breath in the high altitude & unexpectedly Hot weather -- read hotter than Delhi) .. But once one gets over the initial jolt of a "different" & "adjusted" cuisine, Leh although not quite a connoisseurs dream, is very VERY interesting .
The places sampled
Day1 - We slept most of the day to aclimitize. Evening strolled to the central Leh market to 1) Eat 2) buy T-shirts & summer clothes ( but that's another story for some other time )
The places tried today
Roadside Seekh Kababs
Smell - heavenly ; 2 "chicken" Seekhs for 50 Rs ( I try not to notice the husky dogs around & Take a bite )
Taste : I have definitely had better. Juicy on the outside; dry & chewy inside ; served with a small soft roomali roti.
Good if you are desperately craving some non-veg. But best avoid.
German Bakery
We tried the following
1) Coffee cake - Dry , tasted like it was made in the morning ; put me off sweets & cakes for the entire trip
2) Chocolate balls - Not bad ; just that the coconut gratings were an unnecessary addition
3) Shakshouka - The "non-egg" vegetarian version of the Israeli dish. A pleasant surprise, with beautifully saute'ed tomatoes, onions & capsicum with a "roti" - like Pita bread better that was better than the original Pita. A little on the spicy side, definitely indianized to suit the local palette - impressive enough for us to promise ourselves coming here the next mornign for breakfast.
4) Thukpa - The best part of the evening was the humble Thukpa - as authentic as it gets - Vegetarian again , but tasted just the right amount of soupy, noodley and spicy. Loved it.
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