This is a Bhutanese restaurant located in Ichigaya. Bhutanese cuisine is quite rare even in Tokyo, and it was my first time trying it. I visited with two friends on a Saturday night. Bhutanese cuisine is known for using chili peppers, and indeed, it felt like every dish had chili peppers in it. Even though it was my first time, I tried to be mindful of the chili peppers and ordered the following dishes (prices include tax): "Hoge" (990 yen) - A Bhutanese salad made with radish, cucumber, tomato, and coriander mixed with cottage cheese. It had a spicy kick from chili powder and Sichuan pepper, creating a flavorful punch. "Momo" (720 yen) - Steamed dumplings with minced pork. The dumplings themselves were not spicy, but they were served with a chili paste (called "Eze"), which is common in Nepalese cuisine. "Shamodatsi" (1,050 yen) - A cheese stew with shiitake mushrooms and chili peppers, with a mild level of spiciness. This dish was probably the highlight of the meal. When eaten with rice, it had a soft umami flavor that felt like a fusion of Asian and European cuisines. "Rice" (450 yen) - A Bhutanese dish called "Karal rice," which is rice with corn. The sweetness of the corn paired well with the Shamodatsi. "Jashapa" (1,150 yen) - Stir-fried chicken thigh meat and cabbage with chili peppers. It had a spicy kick at times, but the juicy chicken was very delicious. While the dishes were indeed spicy, it wasn't overwhelmingly hot, and each dish had a good balance of flavors. The spiciness didn't linger after the meal, leaving a refreshing feeling. The cost performance was great, and it could be a good option for small gatherings or casual dining with interesting conversation topics.

I ordered the Paksha Lunch, which was the first item on the menu of Bhutanese cuisine for the first time. It included pork belly, radish, stir-fried chili, ginger-flavored soup, fluffy rice, and a healthy taste. My colleagues and the staff said it was just a normal level of spiciness, but I love the spiciness of chili, however, my stomach is weak. I had a really upset stomach in the afternoon. Next time, I will order a menu with less spiciness.

A person who loves Bhutan dearly and I went to a Bhutanese restaurant. While learning about Bhutan's nature, lifestyle, and food habits, I couldn't resist trying Bhutanese cuisine. There aren't many Bhutanese restaurants around, so I chose Paksha Paa over Shamo Datzi. I also shared some Momos and Cheese Momos. Despite being a fan of spicy food, the dishes weren't actually that spicy. The flavor of chili peppers and green chili peppers was subtle. The Emadatzi was a milky cheese stew with a strong salty taste that I enjoyed. The thick-cut pork in Paksha Paa was tender and cooked with daikon radish, giving it a taste similar to Japanese simmered dishes. The fermented paste similar to chili miso that came with it was delicious. It reminded me of the fresh chili peppers from Tsuruya in Nagano that I love. In Bhutan, they eat rice with this chili paste for breakfast. In Japan, we usually have one dish for lunch, but in Bhutan, they mix various foods on a plate and eat them together, which sounds like a fun way to enjoy a meal with friends. I would love to try more Bhutanese dishes in the future. The restaurant had Bhutanese guidebooks, which added to the experience. The interior was orange-themed, and the wooden tableware was cute. It was such a delightful experience! Thank you for the meal!

The happiest country in the world, Bhutan. This catchphrase may have been heard once before. It was a mystery why Bhutan, a small country in Asia, was considered a country with such high happiness levels, but it seems that the citizens all thought "I am happy because I have a house to shelter from the rain and wind, food to eat, and a family". However, in the past, Bhutan's high happiness level was due to the fact that it was a closed-off country and information from other countries did not enter. But now, with the influx of information, they can compare themselves to other countries, and it seems that their ranking has dropped significantly. This prompted me to look into the 2022 Asia World Happiness Rankings. Surprisingly, Taiwan is in 1st place!! Really? Singapore is in 2nd place, and Japan is in 3rd place. I wonder how they conduct these rankings, haha. Now, Bhutanese cuisine. It's not often seen, right? "Gatemo Tabun" in Yoyogi Uehara is the only Bhutanese cuisine specialty restaurant in Tokyo. This chef from Gatemo Tabun opened his own restaurant, "LASOLA". So, there are only two Bhutanese cuisine specialty restaurants in Japan. So, what is Bhutanese cuisine like? When I looked it up, the most notable thing is their culture of eating chili peppers as vegetables. It's said to be the spiciest cuisine in the world. Now, I tried the Shamodatzi (mushrooms and chili cheese stew). This is a staple Bhutanese dish. It has a creamy stew-like flavor. The smooth and mild cheese goes well with the spiciness of the chili and mushrooms! It's incredibly delicious. And surprisingly, it wasn't very spicy! As mentioned, they have reduced the spiciness for Japanese people, so it was mild. However, it's quite salty. I wonder how much salt they put in it. It's so salty that it makes you want to drink alcohol. Hmm? Do Bhutanese people drink alcohol? I wondered if they don't because of Buddhism. When I looked it up, I found out that the top cause of death in Bhutan is liver disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Oh no! Shocking. Furthermore, the sale of tobacco, which has been banned for many years, was unusually lifted as a measure against the spread of the new coronavirus. Hmm, the image of Bhutan is changing. Next, I tried the Paksha Paa. It's a popular Bhutanese dish of pork and radish in chili. The seasoning also goes well with rice! The momos are very cute in shape. The Cheese Momo is a vegetable steamed dumpling with cheese and cabbage. It had a bit of a cheesy taste. It was a fun experience!

This was my second time trying Bhutanese cuisine. I had previously been to Gatemo Tabun, so this time I tried this place. The Ema Datshi had a nice kick from the chili peppers, but the cheese added a smooth richness to it, creating a unique combination. The side salad with homemade dressing was delicious and not oily. The soup was just a regular consomme soup. I felt bad leaving some of the rice as the portion was a bit too much. Honestly, the Ema Datshi alone felt a bit lacking in volume as it was mainly vegetables. It would be nice if they offered an option to add meat.

One of the representative Bhutanese dishes is Ema Datshi, which is made with chili peppers. Even though it says "the spiciest dish in our restaurant" on the menu, I hesitated and tried Jasha Maroo instead. It was a stir-fry of chicken and cabbage with just the right amount of spiciness that made the rice go down smoothly. Refills are free. Next time, I will challenge myself with Ema Datshi.

I tried Bhutanese cuisine for the first time. I ordered a potato and green chili cheese soup(?). It was like a rich cream stew with thick cheese. It was very delicious. The green chili was not spicy at all. You could also get rice refills. It was a popular restaurant that was full soon after opening on Saturday.

I had been wanting to visit a Bhutanese restaurant in Iidabashi, rumored to have split from the one in Yoyogi-Uehara. Despite being a bit far from the station, I think it's worth the trip! You can enjoy authentic Bhutanese cuisine with the ultimate combination of chili and cheese. I forgot to take photos, but I tried Kewadatsi, Emadatsi, rice, salad, and momo. The momo was okay. The menu is limited, but if you like spicy food, I highly recommend it. It made me want to visit Bhutan again.

It's a type of cuisine that I don't usually eat. When they first opened, the operations were bad and it took an hour to get the food, but now it's very smooth. However, I think the taste was better when they first opened.

A chef from Gatemo Tabun in Yoyogi-Uehara opened a Bhutanese cuisine specialty restaurant. The reviews from trusted reviewers were highly rated, so I decided to give it a try. In "The Lonely Gourmet," Gorou-san eats dishes like Ema Datshi and Momo at Gatemo Tabun and ends up sweating. In Bhutan, they eat chili peppers as a vegetable, and it has the highest consumption in the world. I love spicy food, but this was my first time trying Bhutanese cuisine, so I opted for lunch to test it out. Ema Datshi is a soup dish made with chili peppers (Ema) and cheese (Datshi), which is like a national dish. It's like miso soup in Bhutan. I took a bite. Since it has cheese, I couldn't tell if it was mellow or spicy at first. The spices are mild, and the spiciness of the chili peppers gradually builds up. It might be helpful to think of it as a cheese risotto without rice, but with a lot of chili peppers. The rice was Japanese rice, which I thought didn't quite match. I would be happy if they used the same red rice as in Bhutan.

First visit to a Bhutanese restaurant in Ichigaya. It was my first time trying Bhutanese cuisine, known as the spiciest in the world. Despite the hot weather in May, I decided to go for the Paksha lunch set, priced at 1,200 yen. It consisted of stir-fried pork belly, daikon radish, and chili peppers, which is a typical Bhutanese dish. The pork belly was incredibly tender, the daikon had a nice flavor, but I felt that the impact of the chili peppers was a bit weak. Personally, I would have preferred it to be spicier. I might try a different lunch set next time, and if I have the chance, I would like to visit for dinner as well.

Bhutanese food itself is delicious, but having only one side dish feels a bit lonely. When I visited before, I could add a main dish for 500 yen, but it seems like they no longer offer that. It would be nice if they had a half & half menu option.

First visit. I ordered the Jasha Palanchi (stir-fried chicken thigh, cabbage, and chili) for 1,100 yen. It seemed to be a moderately spicy dish among the lunch menu options. The chicken pieces were quite large, about 6 big chunks. The rice was refillable, but I found one serving to be just right. As for the taste, it was as expected from the appearance. It was relatively light in flavor, maybe a bit on the mild side. It had a slight spicy kick, but nothing too intense. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a Bhutanese restaurant in Ichigaya. I was nervous thinking that there would only be spicy dishes in a country where chili peppers are eaten as vegetables. I asked the staff for the least spicy dish on the lunch menu and chose Jasha Paa. It came with salad, soup, and a drink. The salad had a normal taste, the soup was red and spicy. The main dish was chicken thigh and cabbage stir-fried with chili peppers. I wondered if chili peppers get spicier when fried? There was a whole chili pepper on top of the meat, so I avoided it. I cautiously tried it and found that it wasn't as spicy as I expected. The meat was tender and I didn't feel much heat. Bhutanese cuisine is delicious.

Bhutanese cuisine always comes with chili peppers. What I had that day was Jasha Maru, Chhurpi Maru, and rice. Jasha Maru is a stir-fry dish with chicken and green chili peppers, so delicious that it makes you sweat. Chhurpi Maru is a mild-flavored fried noodles. It's spicy but addictive. I want to try a different menu next time.

I wonder how many years have passed since I visited Gatemotabun in Yoyogi-Uehara. It was back in the days when the lively atmosphere was still there. I had been wanting to go, but couldn't quite make it. Finally, I fulfilled my long-standing wish for Bhutanese cuisine at this place called "LASOLA Bhutan restaurant", where the chef opened his own restaurant. The location is in Ichigaya. Walk towards Yasukuni Shrine after exiting the JR ticket gate. It's a bit tricky to explain because of the winding streets, but it's about a 7-minute walk. It's located on the second floor of a building. The seats are all orange, which is quite a restless color, but each seat seemed to be spacious. The lunch menu has 5 options. Rice refill is free, which is a nice perk even for students. I had the Paksha Pah (stir-fried pork belly and daikon with chili) that I had tried before, and my companion had the Emadatsi (stew with chili and cheese), and we added a set of momos. The Emadatsi, which arrived in about 10 minutes, had a generous portion. Next came the Paksha Pah. Salad and soup are also included in the set. The former had an incredibly rich yet refreshing soup with a hint of saltiness that was so delicious it took my breath away. I was captivated by the first bite. The green chili peppers were generously added, but it wasn't as spicy as I had expected, and instead, it was focused on the umami of the soup, making it very addictive. The latter, on the other hand, was milder in terms of spiciness compared to the former. Even those who are not fans of this type of ethnic cuisine can enjoy it. The savory juice of the meat soaked into the daikon, making it incredibly delicious. It may look heavy, but the seasoning is surprisingly simple. The tender and gentle texture of the pork, with just the right thickness for a satisfying bite, combined with the perfectly seasoned rice, made it irresistible. I'm into this one. The salad was a typical side salad, and the soup was simple but satisfyingly served piping hot. If I were to be a bit picky, I would prefer freshly cooked rice. When the side dishes are this delicious, it would be nice to have rice that matches the same level of quality. The momos had thick skins but were very chewy. Unlike the familiar Japanese dumplings, they were clean without ingredients like leeks, and the spice blend included was unfamiliar to me, but it seemed like an item that could be used in various cuisines. I felt like I wanted to come back again tomorrow after a long time. I repeat, I am an addict. Thank you for the delicious meal.

I visited a Bhutanese cuisine restaurant called "LASOLA" located about a 10-minute walk from Ichigaya Station for the first time. I had never tried Bhutanese cuisine before and didn't know what to expect when entering the restaurant. Looking at the lunch menu, I noticed that all dishes included chili peppers as an essential ingredient, not just as a seasoning. I chose the Shamo Datzi lunch set (1,100 yen) from the five options available. It was a mushroom and chili cheese stew with shimeji mushrooms. The dish consisted of milk, cream, and cheese, which added a nice accent to the overall flavor. The taste itself was very mild, but the chili peppers provided a strong and memorable spiciness to the dish. The cuisine had a simple and rustic feel, but the intense impact of the chili peppers made it a unique Bhutanese dining experience.

For lunch today, I went back to this Bhutanese restaurant. I was craving for their Emadatzi, so I ordered the Emadatzi lunch set (1200 yen), along with Cheese Momo (400 yen) and a Chai cocktail. I always end up sitting at the same counter seat with a view outside the window, which I really like. The Chai cocktail arrived quickly and it was delicious! The sweet and spicy chai flavor with a hint of spiciness and a touch of shochu-like taste was really addictive. Shortly after, the Momo arrived on a tray. The salad was small but the dressing was unique and tasty. The Cheese Momo was amazing, with a chewy outer layer filled with cheese and minced meat that was juicy, gooey, and addictive. And then there was the Emadatzi, loaded with blue chili peppers. It was spicy, but the soup had a strong cheese flavor that balanced it out, making it easy to eat. The peppers, along with plenty of onions, paired well with the dish. Eating peppers as a vegetable almost every day is a unique Bhutanese culinary experience, but it feels incredibly healthy. Once again, I enjoyed my meal thoroughly. Thank you for the delicious food!

I ordered the following dishes: Emadatsi Lunch (1200 yen) - Cheese stew with chili peppers (front left). The purple is onion, while the orange and green are all chili peppers. It was quite spicy, but I managed to eat it. Paksha Pa (800 yen) - Pork and radish chili pepper salad (back left). This one wasn't very spicy and was quite delicious. Momo set of 2 (300 yen) - Bhutanese-style dumplings. The skin was chewy, with minced meat inside. The red is chili pepper, but it wasn't too spicy to eat on its own. I couldn't stop sweating or my nose running, but I could eat it normally. If you can eat things like Nakamoto, you should be able to handle this too. However, I didn't quite understand the appeal of chili peppers as vegetables.

First time trying Bhutanese cuisine. Had the mildly spicy Kewa Datsi, Jasha, Momo, and rice. The rice had corn in it and seemed like a lot in a man-sized bowl, but it went well with the side dishes so I finished it quickly.

Earlier this year, I visited LASOLA, a Bhutanese restaurant that I had tried for lunch a couple of times and found it to be delicious. Even though I wasn't very hungry that night, I was in the mood for some casual drinking, so I decided to try their evening menu, which seemed to have a variety of dishes. Since I had already tried dishes like Emadatsi, Momo, and Paksha Paa for lunch, I wanted to try something new. I ordered "Vietnamese-style sake-steamed clams (1100 yen)," "Chili chops (550 yen)," and "Shekamba (1350 yen)" - which is dried pork similar to Paksha Paa, along with some sake. The Chili chops arrived first, which were tempura chili peppers. I had eaten a lot of chili peppers with Emadatsi before, so I thought the spiciness would be tolerable, but when I took a bite, I was shocked. My tongue was on fire! It was so painful! I couldn't handle the spiciness at all. It was a complete disaster. The spiciness was so intense that I couldn't remember much about the clams and dried pork that followed. I vaguely recall that I preferred the regular pork Baksha Paa over the dried pork Shekamba. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience, especially the extreme spiciness of the chili chops. I wonder if there are people who can actually finish that dish. Well, it's all about the experience. Thank you for the meal.