In today's episode we bring you the second part of our Mcleodganj food walk experience that we had undertaken with our host Alok Kumar to unravel some old and popular eateries over here. Being a foodie himself, he is well acquainted with the local food scene over here.
The first stop was McLlo restaurant cum bar which was located on the most busiest square in the town. We visited it just for the vibe as it is flocked by visitors. Over a mug of chilled beer, Alok shared some important attributes about this quaint town.
The second stop was the bakery at Hotel Tibet which is quite a popular hotel located near the busy square. As the name suggests, their bakery too specializes in Tibetan sweets, confectionery items and snacks. Here we picked up some khapse, flour based small crisp snacks which were fun to munch on.
The third stop was Llhamo's Croissant, a family run bakery serving small batches of various kinds of freshly made bakery items. But as the name suggests they are renowned for their croissants which have a loyal fanbase. The chocolate croissant that we tried was soft, crisp and mildly sweet. They have a small and cosy sitting space as well.
The third stop was Kumari Momo Stall where you get these satisfyingly unique aalu momo that Anubhav had already tried during his last visit to the place. He liked them so much that he had introduced them in the menu of his now closed cafe in Delhi. It's a steamed dumpling stuffed with spices mashed potatoes whose recipe Kumari ji has got so right.
The fourth stop was the cafe at Snow Lion Hotel which serves pocket friendly Tibetan items. We were here to try some amdo balep which is a popular and inexpensive breakfast thing. It is a crusty round leavened bread mostly eaten with tea.
The fifth stop was Woeser Bakery, one of the most sought after bakery in the town that serves a wide range of sugar free and vegan options as well along with the regular fare. It is named after the owner's daughter and each recipe has been thoughtfully handpicked by this momprenuer. We thoroughly enjoyed the tsampa ball sitting in the cosy terrace overlooking the stunning mountain view.
The sixth stop was Pappu Bhai's Fish and Chicken Corner. It is a busy stall serving delightful chicken and fish dishes to the discerning customers. Here they don't serve you any bread or roti along with the curries. We tried their tawa chicken which was rich and robust because of the multitude of spices.
The seventh stop was Raj Non Veg stall located on one of the busy lanes. It isn't a proper stall but a makeshift one set up by Raj bhai who sells just 3 to 4 things one of which is the offal based dish. Locals flock here mostly during early evening to enjoy these homestyle mutton and chicken dishes over regular conversation. Since we arrived late, everything was over. But some generous fellows shared their portions with us to try.
The eighth and final stop of this memorable food walk was the Illiterati Café inside The Open Space, a pleasant and chic art gallery cum co-working space in the town. It is a cosy place overlooking a breathtaking and serene view of the town amidst the mountains. Their Illiterati ice cream was absolutely brilliant. Watch till the end to enjoy the yummy details.