Dining in Dushanbe: Delhi Darbar

by Adrienne Wilson on

I’ve saved one of the best for last my foodie friends. After dining at Delhi Darbar about six times during my stay in Tajikistan I discovered one absolutely fantastic thing about the place and that one thing is this: there isn’t a single bad dish on the menu. Anything you order is guaranteed to be savory, scrumptious and gratifying. While I enjoyed sampling the local flavor and having a Tajik dinner or two, the traditional foods were just filled with too much oil. On the flipside the Indian fare felt healthier and can we say just about zero grease is used in preparation. Astonishing!

My favorite item of all was the vegetarian thali (right). Included in the meal is a spicy cauliflower, lentils, rice, a cole slaw with dill, yoghurt, and a sugary doughy dessert in syrup. Other good selections include the chicken tikka, lemon rice with garlic naan. If you’re looking for something sweet to sip try the pineapple lassi. Seriously, everything is good.

Outside the gateway to Indo-Fusion doesn’t look like much, but indoors it’s well lit with India inspired wall murals and Bollywood and Uzbek humming from the television above the buffet. The staff is all nice and always seem to wear very welcoming smiles.

Located at Rudaki 88 in Dushanbe, the chain also has locations in Khujand as well as Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan.

Dining in Dushanbe: Kand

by Adrienne Wilson on

Kand wouldn’t be the first place I’d recommend if you’re hoping to dine the way most Tajiks do. While the quiet open outdoor dining is fabulous for couples looking to be left alone however, groups seeking cultural experiences will be disappointed. We ate at Kand on two occasions and both times it felt as if we were the only party eating at their establishment. Also regarding the restaurant environment there appeared be some renovations to the stage where I’m told performances (ballet and such) normally take place. We weren’t lucky enough to see any ballet, but there was a man on a keyboard accompanied by a singer one night.

Now the food is great IMO. I had trout the first time and a beef kebab the second and both were seasoned and flavored for perfection. Service was okay. I actually can’t recall what the wait staff was like. There was little personality, but considering how appetizing the meals were I can let lack of personality slide. Great place to go to eat and get out, but don’t look for an overly live atmosphere.

Prices range from 5TJS-35TJS.

Dining in Dushanbe: Eurasia

by Adrienne Wilson on

While the trout I ordered doesn’t exactly look like the most mouth-watering of dishes, the food at Eurasia is some of the tastiest in all of Dushanbe. Serving a mixture of Tajik foods, European foods, Russian yummies and breakfast anytime of the day, Eurasia hit it off well with me and my companions. If you’ve been hit by the stomach bug most travels tend to get in Central Asia, order the crepes with jam as a lighter selection sure to cheer up the most upset tummies.

If you’re up for a real meal I might suggest the trout so long as you can bare its very ugly and Muddy-Mud Skipper like appearance. Afterwards if you’ve got plenty of room for dessert (and I do mean plenty of room) go for the stuffed spiced apples. One is enough, but they serve two. The Russian waitresses are all quite pleasant and with their being an English menu as well their jobs are made that much easier. However, not all things translate well so knowing a little Russian or Tajik might be helpful if you’ve got additional questions on the way meals are prepared.

In the morning it’s fairly quiet, but dinner hours are much the opposite. If you’ve got a large group head over early so dinner is served in a timely manner. Plates run from 2TJS-15TJS.

Eurasia is located at Rudaki 81. Telephone: 2233994.

Dining in Dushanbe: Rohat

by Adrienne Wilson on

Here’s another one you’ll find in the Central Asia LP guide under the teeny section devoted to all things Tajikistan. Rohat is a large Persian-style chaikhana (teahouse) perfect for passing the time away watching locals and an expat or two parade by on Rudaki. The somewhat open-air atmosphere with high decorative ceilings makes it a cool spot to be during lunch or dinner hours.

On the menu you’ll find traditional Tajik fare and Russian dishes as well. Overall there were mixed reviews on the food. I went with Lagman, a soup dish which was a bit bland for my tastes, but offered heat as the night became a little chilly. Service was decent, menu prices good and LP basically nailed this one on the head as well. Order some tea, have a snack and chatter the evening away.

Rohat is located at Rudaki 84.

Dining in Dushanbe: Chinese Restaurant

by Adrienne Wilson on

Lunch at the Chinese restaurant was like a blur. Perhaps it is not even fair of me to provide a review considering all the factors: eight very jet lagged and hungry foreigners together for the first time with one very quaint young waitress. I would not wish that situation upon anyone, but allow me to talk only on the food.

My taste buds lead me to a spicy chicken dish and I sampled some of the fried rice off a companion’s plate. Now, I have had a large amount of Chinese food in my lifetime and in comparison to all the rest this little Chinese joint next door to the Indian spot off of Rudaki doesn’t get any medals. The food was okay, but I’ve had much better Chinese in parts of Alabama. On the up side it’s a great place to stop if you’re searching for fare less greasy/oily than some of the traditional Tajik finds around the town.

Affordable (low-mid range) and extremely accommodating staff.