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With my sixth day in Bhutan well underway, my exciting adventures in the country’s capital continued. Come along with me as I try some delicious Indian Nepali food and go for a fungus tea tasting in Thimphu, Bhutan!
My afternoon began at the Royal Takin Preserve in Thimphu’s Motithang District. This 8-acre wildlife preserve is dedicated to the takin, which is the national animal of Bhutan. It has a head similar to a goat but a body like a cow’s!
My friend and guide from MyBhutan, Tsheten, told me a legend about the takin that goes back to the 15th century. It became the national animal in 1985 and lives between 12-15 years.
The preserve is also used as a rehabilitation center. We saw a mountain goat that had lost a leg. We also saw a sambar deer and the takins. Some of them were just lying down and sleeping. They were beautiful!
Then, we headed a tea tasting where the tea is made from cordyceps, which is a worm-like creature that’s similar to a caterpillar. Along the way, we passed an area about 15 minutes from the city center where members of Parliament live.
We arrived at Cordyceps Tasting House in the downtown area. It’s a two-minute walk from the Pedling Hotel & Spa. There, the employees showed me some dried cordyceps before tried a strong mini shot of ara with cordyceps, which makes it very strong.
Next, I tried some 2% tea and K5 whiskey with cordyceps. It was really nice. I liked it more than the ara because it was smoother.
Then, it was time to get some Indian food at Thakali Kitchen in the downtown area, about a 2-minute walk from the Pedling Hotel & Spa. The restaurant is located down a set of stairs to another alley. I loved the atmosphere inside. It was very vibrant and reminiscent of India and Nepal. Instead of having Indian food, I went with the Special Thakali Thali, or buffalo thali, off of a suggestion from the chef.
This thali has less masalas and almost no desserts. While I waited, I enjoyed some Zumzin peach wine, which was like straight peach. It was like a very sweet white wine.
Then, the thali and appetizers arrived! The appetizers consisted of prawn fry, picked radish, mixed pickle with chilies and tomatoes, dried spinach, radish, wild fruit, and round chilies. My buffalo thali contained rice, veg, papad, black lentil soup, and yogurt.
The black lentil soup was so earthy and a little creamy. The buffalo was like butter and fell apart in my mouth. I liked it so much more than cow beef. It’s softer and gamier, and is more tender. I also loved the curry on it. It reminded me of food I had in Kerala!
It was so tasty with the rice. The dried prawns were quite spicy and crunchy. Meanwhile, the radish wasn’t spicy, just pickled. The veg with chilies were really delicious, and I loved the dried spinach! The pickled berry had very little flesh on it and contained a huge seed. Then, I tried the round chili, which had a spicy juice that hit me right away. It wasn’t unbearable and it only lasted a few seconds.
I couldn’t get enough of the buffalo, radishes, and the prawns. The radishes were like a crunchy and creamy water vegetable and were my favorite of the appetizers!
There were so many textures and flavors in this meal! Then, I took a bit of everything with the papad. It was too good!
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My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,100 destinations in 77 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my KZfaq channel, travel blog, and social media sites.
I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.
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