The large restaurant is split up into several rooms with an open kitchen visible to the diners. With importance give to flavours Bukhara restaurant serve Northwest Frontier’s Tandoori cuisine, which is heavy on meats.

PROFILE

Recognized among the World’s Best Restaurants, Bukhara is named after the ancient city of Bukhara on the Silk Road; opened in the distant days of 1977 and is located in the ITC Mauriya hotel, New Delhi. The large restaurant can accommodate 134 diners at a time in its room split up into several rooms with an open kitchen visible to some of the diners. With the importance given to flavors, Bukhara restaurant serves Northwest Frontier’s Tandoori cuisine, (new day Pakistan–Afghanistan border), which is heavy on meats. Their d้cor’s general theme is the rustic northwest frontier of India. Diners are however encouraged to eat with their hands (feel free to for cutlery if you need one).

MUST TRY

The legendary Dal Bukhara must not be missed.

AMBIENCE

The restaurant is very sophisticated; the decor is distinguished by traditional Indian coloring as food is served amid stone walls, rough-hewn dark-wood beams, copper urns, and blood-red rugs covered with low-height seating. The seating is quite closely packed, much of it on backless stools rather than chairs.

SERVICE

The Service is impeccable and positively different from your average fine dining experience. The staffs are not being uptight or too casual. Service can sometimes be perfunctory, especially for smaller groups.

FOOD

The menu is quirky as it comes written on both sides of a wooden and there are no starters in the menu since it is so limited. Try dishes like murg tandoori (a whole chicken marinated in yogurt, malt vinegar, lemon juice, turmeric, chili, garlic, ginger, and garam masala); the murgh malai kebab (boneless chicken marinated with cream cheese, malt vinegar, and green coriander) and bharvan kulcha (a baked bread stuffed with cottage cheese). the tandoori pomfret; Naan bread; Romali roti; Gulab jaman; Tandoori Phool; Sikandari Raan; Paneer Tikka. Bukhara’s famous dal (black lentils with tomatoes, ginger, and garlic) is now sold in grocery stores. Dessert like Phirni (a firm rice pudding that comes smelling of roses and saffron) compliments a heavy meal with its lightness. Just like the menu Vegetarians choices are limited and there is a wine list available, though bizarrely only some vintages are listed.

PRICING

INR 2,700 for two

SUMMARY

Complementing the fare of this establishment’s authentic Indian cuisine, it has featured iconic dignitaries like Mick Jagger, Hillary Clinton, Enrique Iglesias, Vladimir Putin, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, who even have platters named after them. Reservations are essential. The price is expensive high for the city, but it’s a reputable place that delivers a quality experience.