India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (355 page)

One of the coolest newcomers (and there have been many additions to Leh’s fly-by-night restaurant scene) in Changspa, is
Jeevan Restaurant
and, above it, the rooftop
Café Jeevan.
The restaurant is swish and slightly more formal, while the canopied open-air place upstairs is a better bet during the day. The menu is predictably overladen with options—from Italian and Israeli to Indian and Chinese—and it’s definitely not catering to locals, but it’s a pleasant enough spot to unwind (they play fresh lounge tracks, have a library to browse, and offer laptops to surf the internet).

Penguin Garden Restaurant & German Bakery
ECLECTIC/LIGHT FARE For a spacious, outdoorsy cafe experience, head to this laid-back hangout—it’s almost impossible to imagine the peace, quiet and twittering birds you’ll discover in this garden oasis where nostalgic Western music plays from speakers that decorate the apple trees that form a natural canopy above. Aside from being the most relaxed place in town, it’s a good place to try a few simple-but-special items. For starters, there’s always a large chunk of yak cheese displayed alongside the chocolate walnut cake, doughnuts, and croissants—at lunchtime, a yak cheese sandwich really fills the gap; it’s also the only place in town you’ll find avocado
lassi,
or a made-to-order watermelon ginger juice (simply delicious). The menu covers mostly Tibetan, India and Italian dishes, but you can also get basic comfort foods like chicken burgers, quiches, and even vegetable stroganoff. Healthy breakfasts, salads, and tandoor-grilled trout are also served.

Fort Rd.
94-1917-8630
or 99-0699-9896. www.penguinrestaurant.co.nr. Main courses Rs 55–Rs 170. No credit cards. June–Sept daily 7am–10:30pm.

The Tibetan Kitchen
TIBETAN Tibetan fare is
de rigueur
in Leh, and after more than a decade, the town’s best restaurant does not disappoint, even if the new venue is a bit characterless and they’ve added Indian and Chinese dishes to the otherwise authentic menu. Preorder (1 day ahead) the traditional Tibetan hot pot, or
gyako,
suitable for four hungry diners. A brass pot with a communal broth is heated at the table, while salads,
papads,
fine noodles, rice, and mutton (or vegetables) are served in abundance for you to cook at will. Note that the restaurant has only one pot, so be sure to book well ahead. If you’d prefer to have your food cooked for you by skilled Tibetan and Nepalese chefs, there’s plenty more to choose from, starting with the steamed cheese
momos,
so order a plate while you consider the rest of your options. You can try wonton
pishi
soup, a traditional Tibetan salad (avocado, tomato, and mint), or delicious
shabalay
(a freshly baked meat- or vegetable-filled bun).

Opposite Hotel Tso-Kar, Fort Rd.
96-2296-9578.
Main courses Rs 80–Rs 230; Tibetan hot pot for 4 Rs 1,400–Rs 1,800. 10% service charge. No credit cards. Daily 11am–10:30pm.

SHOPPING IN LEH

Eternal Creation
(first floor, Raku Complex, Fort Rd.;
96-2296-9570;
www.eternalcreation.com
) is a fair-trade boutique with colorful and beautiful garments for women, children, and babies. Designed in Australia, but with workshops in Dharamsala providing employment for 80 people (Tibetans, Nepalis and Indians), this is as close as it comes to dressing up for a good cause. Fabrics are generally bright and big-patterned, well suited to the summery dresses and gorgeous kimonos; the silk-bordered shawls and accessories are also great buys.

You could spend a whole lot of your time in Leh dodging overbearing Kashmiri salesmen hawking everything from carpets to gold jewelry. Occasionally their hard-sell tactics are enough to send you screaming into the mountains. Operating with a completely different set of ethics is
L’Araba Fenice
(Zangsti Rd.;
01982/25-4516
or 94-1921-9341) where the mild-mannered George Sher Ali (who also came here from Kashmir many years ago) sells a wide assortment of Rajasthani miniature paintings executed on silk and paper. Besides the usual subjects, he also commissions special Ladakh-influenced scenes and unusual designs that may include gorgeous white yaks or a snow leopard, painted from photographs by artists who have never stepped foot in the Himalayas. Look for the shop (one of the few in Leh without a merchant looming in the doorway) at the edge of the main bazaar and set aside some time to listen to George explaining the intricate process of miniature painting. For books, look no further than the well-stocked
Ladakh Book Shop
(Main Bazaar, near State Bank of India;
01982/25-6464
or 98-6811-1112) which carries trekking maps, books on spirituality, coffee table glossies, local guidebooks, and everything in between, including plenty of good Indian literature.

Do also make a point of dropping by the
Ladags Apricot Store
(LBA Shopping Complex, Zangsti;
01982/25-1222
or 94-1917-7529), an eco-friendly shop specializing in organic products grown by Ladakhi farmers. Dried apricots are a must, and they also sell apricot nut kernels (which are known to have cancer-fighting properties) as well as
yos,
a traditional Ladakhi snack food made with roasted barley—it’s a perfect accompaniment on a long drive.