Come May, much of North India begins to feel scorched by the elite summer sun. The sun blazes atop, making it brazenly difficult to step out of the house in the day without having to perpetually squint, accompanied by a mild headache and a certain throbbing dehydration taking over our systems. This conundrum gives way to a far-away magical landscape, where the sun is tame and the air is cool. It is that very magic that I was chasing as I reached Norbu The Montanna at Dharamshala, all prepared to get-set-ready-go from Delhi’s splintering, unforgiving heat.
The sweet greens of Dharamshala are not new to me. Having studied and worked in Delhi for the past four years, the overnight bus to Dharamshala is a comfort I have relished at least once a year. It is one of the advantages of living in this city; its proximity to the hills. A light mist enveloped my drive to Norbu, where I was graciously given a warm, traditional, Tibetan style welcome, and draped with khada, a ceremonial scarf signifying compassion and goodwill. As we drove, the nudge of the road that the property is settled in is easy to miss, but it is only after entering its demure gates, that the grandeur of Norbu unfolds in front of you. Private villas rise amidst luscious tea gardens; and rooms have sprawling balconies that look out straight into the Dhauladhar range and Kangra valley.
Storybook fantasies come to life at Norbu, though the place doesn't have to try too hard to impress you. The surrounding nature itself does most of the work. My first day here gave way to a bright and slow morning of my dreams, as sunlight spilled across my room in long sheets and the wind carried in earthy scents of cedar and pine. I could imagine multi-coloured prayer flags fluttering against the air and I felt right at home. Here, days stretch into private high teas overlooking the valley, while evenings gather people around mountain barbecues as the cold begins to sharpen. There are monastery trails through Dharamshala, small culinary sessions, and meals shaped by regional flavours. I found myself lucky to be surrounded by things that grow, and not rushing past the melodic sound of the birds every morning, but closing my eyes long enough to take in the lovely tune.
For me, the world begins and ends at mealtime, and so I was delighted to find that much of my itinerary at Norbu revolved around the food culture of Dharamshala. This included excerpts from local Himachali cooking, as well as Tibetan, Nepali and Bhutanese influences that are common and well-loved in the region. Chef Anirban Biswas created a personalized menu for each meal and explained the making of the dish itself, along with a side of history. What follows is a look at some of the memorable meals we had.
You can taste the altitude in the food at Norbu The Montanna. Not literally, of course. But there’s something about the way the meal moves between Himachal, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan that makes you realise how connected these mountain cultures really are. Borders begin to blur here, and that shows up in the most meaningful way, through food.
We started off strong with chutneys and pickles; dishes preserved against weather and seasonality. A daru ki chutney made from a local pomegranate variety hits sweet, tart and spicy all at once. Then comes a bhune tamatar ki chutney, where tomatoes are charred over the tandoor before being hand-pounded with garlic and chillies. And honestly, the Himachali food is the strongest part of the experience. Maa Chane Ki Dal, cooked entirely in ghee, tastes deep and comforting, and the Paneer Khatta Piyaz takes fermented onions and folds them into paneer tikka, which sounds unusual at first, but works beautifully because Himachali food has always understood acidity instinctively.
Then there’s the Kangri dham, which is really the heart of the meal. Chef Anirban explains how it evolved from the communal culture of Kashmiri wazwan, though adapted into a vegetarian tradition in Himachal. Over time, the dham evolved to include non-vegetarian elements for celebratory occasions, while retaining its emphasis on lentil-based preparations. My personal favourites included khatta mutton or khatta gosht, tawa machi, a river fish marinated in hand-pounded masala and pan seared on a tawa, and a raita featuring dry dates and a pungency from local mustard grain. All of it is protein-heavy and designed for community eating.
What I liked most was that the Namak Restaurant at Norbu doesn’t flatten these cuisines into generic, broad ‘Himalayan food,’ which happens far too often. The Tibetan and Nepalese dishes still feel distinct. The jhol wale momos are a good example. Traditionally, Nepalese jhol is spicy and nutty, but here they turn it creamy with cheese and milk while keeping the warmth of cinnamon, cardamom and star anise. It’s richer than expected, built for cold weather.
The Tibetan Bhakthuk comes as a slow-cooked soup with shell-shaped noodles. Laphing, usually served as a cold street snack in the streets of Delhi, gets reworked into noodles tossed with chilli, garlic, peanuts and sesame. And then Bhutan appears briefly through Ema Dashi, that famous combination of chillies and cheese. Here, they soften it slightly with vegetables and chicken, serving it beside Tingmo, a steamed Tibetan bread perfect for soaking up gravy.
No meal is complete without an edge of sweetness, and Chef Anirban went above and beyond for us to sample some of Norbu’s dessert specialties. Badane ka Meetha comprises homemade boondis sitting in saffron sugar syrup with dry fruits and makhana. Another local dessert that we tried was meetha chawal, or meetha bhaat, a saffron-flavoured rice dish that is scented with cinnamon, cardamom and saunf. Norbu also ensures that it creates space for varied palettes; if you are not one to enjoy local food, and just want a casual, regular pizza or pasta, they’ve got you covered. This ethos also shone through in their mango cheesecake, a summer menu special, and a modern chocolate dessert featuring chocolate soil, flexible milk chocolate and wild strawberry sorbet.
While browsing through Norbu’s offerings, I was quite intrigued by the mixology session. Mukul, the bartender at Namak restaurant, patiently walked me through the steps to make a cosmopolitan and a mojito. Although it may seem obvious, even simple acts of chilling a glass before serving the drink, and giving thought to the exact proportions of lime and sugar made the experience easy and enjoyable.
We were also guided by the ever-kind staff to a spot by the river a little outside the restaurant for a small picnic. To be within nature is a luxury in and of itself, and Norbu ensures that you’re comfortable every step of the way. I was reminded of Mary Oliver’s works on observing the natural world and its offerings. Amidst the busyness of everyday life, it reminded me to take a beat, breathe a little slower and not to take its beauty for granted; stones by the river, little insects flocking about and the sound of water rushing past.
By nightfall, it was time for an outdoor barbecue under the stars. I was brought fresh, succulent chicken, paneer and fish barbecue dishes by Tanzin from the dining staff, who took great care to ensure comfort. The next morning brought an interactive cooking workshop with Chef Hateshwar Chauhan, who taught me how to make thukpa from scratch. Although I have enjoyed it during many Delhi winters, it was nice to watch it come to life, with the room carrying a whiff of ginger, garlic and stock simmering.
This summer, if you’re thinking of slipping away to the hills, do not look past Norbu The Montanna. Each experience and offering is aligned with a larger intention to present luxury with a side of nature, culture and respect. Norbu treats the landscape it belongs to with care, which slips into the way every visitor is looked after. Most of all, you feel it through the staff, whose attentiveness shapes the spirit of the place more than anything else. After leaving Dharamshala, I found myself returning to a line by Mary Oliver: ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ At Norbu, the answer felt as simple as ever; slow down, look closely, stay a little longer. You won’t regret it.
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Words Neeraja Srinivasan
Date 27.5.2026
