Bhutanese food is simple, hearty, and far spicier than most visitors expect. Chili peppers are treated as a vegetable here, not a condiment, and they appear in almost every dish. If you cannot handle heat, say so early and often -- your guide and cook can usually dial it back.
Ema datshi is the national dish: fat green or red chilis stewed in a thick sauce of local cheese. It is served at virtually every meal with red rice, Bhutan's staple grain, which has a nutty flavour and slightly sticky texture. Variations include kewa datshi (potatoes and cheese), shamu datshi (mushrooms and cheese), and shakam datshi (dried beef and cheese). If you eat only one Bhutanese dish, make it ema datshi -- it is simple, fiery, and addictive.
Phaksha paa is pork stewed with dried red chilis and radishes, rich and deeply flavoured. Jasha maroo is a spicy chicken curry with tomatoes and chili. Momos -- Tibetan-style dumplings filled with meat or cheese -- are everywhere and make an excellent snack. Buckwheat pancakes and noodles are specialties of the Bumthang valley.
Yak meat and yak cheese appear frequently, especially at higher altitudes. The dried yak cheese (chugo) sold in markets is rock-hard and meant to be chewed slowly over hours -- it is an acquired taste. Bhutanese butter tea (suja), made with yak butter and salt rather than sugar, is another taste that takes getting used to. Ara, a locally distilled rice or wheat spirit, is offered at festivals and in homes.
For visitors on a standard tour, meals are typically buffet-style in hotels and include a mix of Bhutanese, Indian, Chinese, and continental dishes. The Bhutanese options are always worth trying. Hotel food can be bland, so if your guide invites you to eat at a local restaurant or farmhouse, accept -- the food will be better and the experience far more memorable.
Thimphu has the best restaurant scene in the country, with a growing number of cafes and restaurants serving both local and international food. Outside the capital, options narrow quickly, but the home-cooked meals arranged by tour operators are often the highlight of a trip.