Dine 11,500 Ft. Above Sea Level At This Pan-Asian Restaurant In Leh

Many told me, but only a recent visit to Leh convinced me that the best way to travel to Ladakh is by road—you could be on a bike, in a car, or better, on a pony. I say that for two reasons. One, it’s pure injustice to the landscape if not enjoyed up and close and two, if like me, you are travelling from Delhi on a flight, the transition can be drastic. 

Buildings give way to snow-clad peaks, suddenly the roads (don’t) miss the blaring horns, and the air feels more air-like than smoke-like. And among other things, the vastness of the landscape makes the heart feel closer, breath grow louder, and life feel smaller. 

Amidst all the goodness, one must never forget to acclimatise—the garlic soup and a day of rest can really help. My partner, rather guide in this process was The Grand Dragon Ladakh, Leh’s only government-certified five-star hotel. 

Owned and run by the Abdu family of Leh, Grand Dragon is frequented by many movie stars, politicians, and sports icons. “I have met over three dozen celebrities here, but the kindest has been Salman Khan,” said Anjum Qadir, who sat across from me in his brand new restaurant at the hotel, called Ryu Oka. Qadir is the creative and culinary force behind the pan-Asian restaurant. 

The Story Of Ryu Oka 

I had the privilege of being a part of the opening night of Ryu Oka (Japanese words meaning Dragon Hill) as Qadir and his family unlocked the gates and we stepped into his beautiful brainchild. 

What caught the eye was a painting that ran across the walls of the restaurant. “Stunning,” I said as I stepped closer towards the blues and whites of the painting. Behind, emerged Gulam Mustafa, Qadir’s father and the creator of the wall art. “I replicated a photograph that Anjum took of the Ladakhi range, on an early morning flight.” It set the tone of the room, just right. 

Another element that is likely to go unnoticed but shouldn’t, are the lower walls in the room. A textured stone is what you would think it is, but far from it. They are handcrafted, shaped, and painted by Qadir over long hours. More like his attempt to ensure that the restaurant stands true to the terrain rather than simply being placed in it. 

The Food Menu 

The setting was enough to convince me about the pronounced thought behind the menu which is inspired and influenced by Qadir’s travels across China, Korea, Japan, and Bali. 

I am rarely a soup and salad enthusiast when dumpling and sushi is what the menu has to offer. So I let those pass. But I was told that the miso and asparagus soup with tofu and wakame was just the amount of comfort you’d need on a nippy Leh evening. 

From Asian bowls, dumplings, and sushi, to cold pizza, and robata, the roster at Ryu Oka is likely to leave you spoilt for choice. 

I went in straight for the crackling cauliflower popcorns which were worth a second order. It featured the crunch of the cauli popcorns with dynamite mayo and if I return to Ryu Oka, it would be for these (excluding many other things). 

Making a safe choice, I picked the cream cheese and edamame dumplings which did not disappoint. It was everything that it was supposed to be. Creamy, cheesy, and delicious.   

I also made a debut with the cold pizzas. The bell pepper and jalapeno offering was layered with ponzu aioli (a citrusy Japanese dip prepared using mayo and soy sauce) and topped with marinated wakame. It almost touched the blockbuster league. I enjoyed. The non-vegetarian version featured salmon and truffle. 

Bringing Burmese on the menu was the ohn no khao suey and honestly, I have had better. The coconut milk in the curry did not make itself visible enough and I missed the presence of my beloved fried onions. 

However, the pad thai noodles were very well done. What really worked for me in the preparation was the crunch and texture that crushed peanuts added to the dish. 

Finally, I saved some appetite for Thai curry where the coconut shined bright and paired with the jasmine rice I savoured each of the three bites my belly allowed. 

The Desserts

But as they (I) say, you are not done, until you have cleaned up a plate of dessert. Qadir resonated with my thought and called for not one but two plates. The sesame chocolate cheesecake being the first. And after the first bite I realised how I cannot experiment with my cheesecakes at all. The sesame took away from the dessert being itself and did not quite work for me. 

But the chocolate mousse, which landed next,  truly made up for it. You could call it my love for chocolate or the creaminess and texture of the mousse that rounded off the night on a note that every chef and diner wants it to.

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