Mcleod Ganj: Crêpe pancake hut

Lucky for me, gluten-free eating in McLeod Ganj is easy because of the small restaurant next to our hostel with gluten-free options. This will eventually become a permanent fixture during our stay here.

Crêpe pancake hut

Google is and all, but the search for ‘gluten-free Mcleod ganj’ is unfortunately of little use. Next to our hostel is a sign from a restaurant with ‘quinoa bowl’. Hmmm, interesting. First time eating, I’m nervous again as usual. The lady of the restaurant checks my diet card very briefly and then says ‘ok’. Uh-oh. This does very little to make me less anxious. My food seems safe enough when it arrives; quinoa with pieces of avocado and grilled vegetables. It’s a huge amount and quite nice. Until now I haven’t finished my food once. Absolute madness, those portions and everyone always looks amazed that I leave food! The food is tasty, fatty and best of all: no gluten.

Vegan nibbling

I spotted coffee with soy milk on the menu, so the next day we go for coffee in the afternoon on the ground floor of the restaurant. I haven’t had a cup of coffee with milk since we left and miss it. Were in the restaurant for maybe a whole two seconds when I see the note hanging by the cakes in the window: ‘vegan, gluten-free brownie’. How delight-full! The need for chocolate is great. I’m interviewing the waiter boy as best I can; he claims it is made from chickpeas. Instead of coffee, I order a banana-chocolate shake of soy milk and order a piece of vegan brownie.

I like the soy shake, but the brownie doesn’t do it for me. I doesn’t really taste like chocolate and I much. There are also coconut cookies in a jar I decide to try. The biscuit is a bit thin, but really gluten-free. In terms of taste, neither of cookies is brilliant, but I’m glad I found something, just like that. It’s just nice to be able to go somewhere and order something (semi) carefree like a biscuit! 

To give an indication of the prices:

Brownie: 90 rupee (1,25 USD)

Coconut cookie: 10 rupee (0,13 USD)

Soy shake banana chocolate 90 rupee (1,25 USD)

Salad: 110 rupee (1,50 USD) 

More food

It is monsoon, it has been raining all afternoon, so that evening we go back to the restaurant. No, I don’t like rain. And after all, this place is situated maybe 10 meters from our hostel and after eating three times I am not sick yet. So. The salad I order is nice and fresh and exactly what my body needs; I’m still not really recovered from being sick.

The restaurant

The restaurant itself consists of two floors. On the ground floor are seats to drink coffee and eat a cake or biscuit, on the first floor is the restaurant. I find myself charmed by the way it looks; lots of wood and bamboo on the walls, ordinary tables, a few low tables and many books about Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. The service is a bit clumsy, two girls in the kitchen and a boy who speaks little English, not very practical when you have urgent questions about ingredients. The owner controls all and chats with the customers. For me, this restaurant is a quite safe choice.

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