The most memorable meal of the trip, according to Sapra, came on the way to Hampta Pass. “There’s a 40-year-old dhaba called Kalzang Dhaba, started by a man named Kalzang and now run by his daughter-in-law,” he shares. There, Sapra was served local rice beer, vegetarian momo, siddu, local rajma, red rice, and a hearty curry with ghee and chutney. “It was the best food I had during the entire trip.”
The trip wrapped in a local village, where they explored Himachal’s food more intimately. “We tried different kinds of local sweets and spoke with a farmer who grows apples, peaches, and apricots,” he says.
Since launching his YouTube channel Delhi Food Walks in 2018, touring hill stations has become an annual tradition for Sapra and his team — exploring Kashmir, Kumaon, Shimla, and Dehradun.
Filming the series came with its fair share of logistical challenges—from unpredictable monsoon weather to grueling traffic and rough terrain. “It took us 15 hours to reach Kasol from Delhi—what should’ve been a 9-hour drive—just because of the traffic,” says Sapra. “Some stretches, like from Bhuntar to Kasol or on the way to Hampta, had terrible roads.”