Tibetan food adapts to tourist tastes

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-09-2009 23:10

Exploring new foods can be a mouth-watering adventure. Xie Zheng takes us to some restaurants in the Tibet Autonomous Region that are fusing traditional and modern cuisine to appeal to hungry tourists.

Searching for something to eat in Lhasa, it's hard to miss this unique dining spot. It’s a magnet for attracting hungry tourists – whether during peak tourist seasons or not. Choeji Nyima helped to set up the Makye Ame restaurant more than 10 years ago. He says the key to success is appreciating the flavors of its rich traditions and history.

Choeji Nyima, General Manager of Makye Ame Restaurant of  Lhasa

Choeji Nyima, General Manager of Makye Ame Restaurant of Lhasa said "The name of our restaurant comes from a traditional Tibetan poem which praises female purity. It is said that 300 years ago, this place was a small bar. The sixth Dalai Lama, a great Lama in history, lived here."

A boiled lamb and roast mushroom dish reminds Choeji Nyima of the grasslands where he once sang and danced. He says every dish has a story that dates back several hundred years. And he enjoys sharing those stories with his guests.

For many tourists, the stories and the dishes are a perfect combination.

Tourist Fu Ying says this is her second visit to Lhasa. She agrees that traditional tastes evoke memories of the past.