One of my favorite things about Darjeeling and Sikkim was — surprise, surprise– the food. We found the variety of Tibetan noodle soups to be delicious, healthy, and so comforting in the cold evenings. There are three main types of noodle soups: thenthuk (flat noodles), gyathuk (thin noodles), and bakthuk (gnocchi-type pasta) . A large bowl of one of these only sets you back about $1!

Then there are momos, the ubiquitous but tasty dumplings that are either steamed or friend and filled with veggies, cheese, and/or meat. One of our favorite discoveries was a  fried Tibetan bread called nomtse bhalay, served warm and dipped in a variety of sauces or with honey and preserves.

As far as drinks, we gave Tibetan butter tea a shot, but did not particularly enjoy this thick, salty, and buttery concoction. However, in Sikkim, we tried tomba, a traditional drink made of fermented millet, with a few grains of rice for flavor, served in a large mug and sipped through a straw. Warm water is added to the mug occasionally, and once the millet and water sit for a few minutes, the liquid becomes milky in color and tastes a bit like sake. Not a bad way to stay warm on a cold night in the Himalayan foothills!