Chopsticks, Manali
During the second phase of my trip to Himachal, I had visited Manali. At first, the plan was to spend 2 days (at max 3) at this high-altitude Himalayan resort town. Over the years, Manali has become extremely commercial (my way of saying crowded) and a quite popular honeymoon destination. Besides that, Manali is a stopover for backpackers and bike riders on their way to Leh-Ladakh via Rohtang Pass. To me, the sole purpose of staying in Manali was to make a trip to Rohtang Pass. I’m not saying there isn’t anything to see in Manali but compared to McLeod Ganj and Kasol, this place has taken a backseat.
We ended up staying in Manali for a little over 24 hours but during that time I did have a notable food experience. It was supposedly one of the best restaurants in the city, named Chopsticks. Located on Mall Road, Chopsticks serves Tibetan, Chinese, Indian and a few continental specialties. The food served at Chopsticks is supremely delicious and every bite leaves you craving for more. The outlet is comparatively small but can serve up to 20-30 customers at a time. You will definitely love the ambiance at Chopsticks- cosy, colorful and the interior decor screams of Tibetan influence.
Chopsticks also serves chilled beer and have a few options in terms of fruit wines. During the time spent at the restaurant, service was impeccable. So, if you’re in Manali and unable to find a good restaurant; (Zomato isn’t available in this region) this is where you should go. Now, I’ll leave you with the list of dishes we ordered and consequently I would recommend,
- Mutton Chilly
- Traditional Chicken Dumplings (Momos)
- Wonton clear soup (Chicken)
- Ginger Chicken**
- Garlic Chicken**
** We felt that two portions of these would be too filling and so ordered a single portion of part Ginger Chicken and part Garlic Chicken. Yes! they accommodated that request.
