Morgan’s Place | Mr Murugan’s colourful den in Dharamkot
Nestled in the tranquility of Dharamkot (2 KMS away from Mcleodganj), Morgan’s Place is a respite from the madness of Jogiwara Road. On a rainy day, I took a bus from Dharamsala till Mcleodganj. Travelling through the misty mountains, I reached the auto stand in Mcleodganj, from where I took an auto till Dharamkot.
The 1 hour long journey, on the winding concrete and then, dirt roads, surrounded by lush green hills, is nothing less than exciting.
And as I landed in front of the café, the fun exteriors instantly put me at ease. Inside, the polka dots and floral upholstery of the sofas, colourful decorative walls and the stunningly beautiful view of Triund, made my heart swell with joy.
Murugan, the owner of the café is a well-travelled man. Originally hailing from Kanyakumari, he has recently revamped the café, which was earlier known as ‘Out of the Blue’. A very proud man (borderline boastful), he told me, before opening the restaurant, he has worked as a dishwasher (which he repeated many times). It was evident that he loved cooking and travelling. According to him it’s utmost important to know how to cook, if you ever wish to run a café.
And since I had reached fairly early at 11 AM and was the first one to enter the café, he had plenty of time to chat. He promptly suggested some dishes to me and pitched passionately for the Pizza that Morgan’s Café is famous for. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sum up the courage to finish a 12-inch pizza all by myself, which seemed to make Mr. Murugan visibly upset. However, I did try the equally delightful and flavoursome Caprese Salad and Crostini with pepper and pesto.
Caprese Salad, a simple mix of mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil and balsamic sauce is one of my most favourite salads. At Morgan’s Place, it had a good amount of lettuce, lemon juice and red cabbage. Not only did it taste yummy, it was also quite filling.
Interestingly, the Crostini, an appetizer, arrived on the table after the salad. And although it had pesto, pepper and cheese toppings, with perfectly toasted Brown bread, it felt like the perfect dish to end the meal with.
While I was busy comforting myself with a glass of green tea, Mr. Bhanu (the manager) kept me entertained. He gave me several tips for trekking till Triund and also suggested that I should avoid going there alone in the rainy season. Even though I didn’t have any serious plans for trekking, I listened to him patiently, as he talked earnestly and showed genuine concern.
After finishing my Green tea, I paid for the meal (Rs. 310) and headed back.
As, I stepped out to take an auto back to Mcleodganj, I could still hear Mr. Murugan’s voice ringing through the quiet of Dharamkot. His passion, the lovely food and the awesome setting of Morgan’s Café, made it one of the strangest (in a good way) meals, I’ve had till date.
For More Read : Best Places to eat in Mcleodganj (Part -1)
Best Places to eat in Mcleodganj (Part -2)
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