My boyfriend and I went to Bukhara with high expectations in February 2011, hoping for a tasty, enjoyable, and relatively cheap lunch (8.95GBP).
There was nobody to welcome us. Actually, there was nobody at all... Only one isolated couple. We still went for it.
The waiter was unable to explain the dessert, so called a second one, who knew indeed what the dessert was but this time, courtesy was missing... Anyway, we ordered one starter/one main course, and one main course/one dessert.
We were shocked by the appearance of the starter (chana poori). A soft, greasy poori with a lump of chickpeas in a bright red sauce. It was almost nuclear. My boyfriend didn't want to touch it, I tried for the appearance (and because I'm always paranoid they won't make efforts with us if we don't show a minimum of appreciation). It was bland, and I wondered how much colouring has gone into it. No salad, incredibly poor presentation for a restaurant. We let it on the side, and asked for the mains.
My boyfriend's lamb was alright, in appearance and taste, but my chicken tikka chasni was appalling. It was in the same bright red sauce than the chickpeas, no herb, the promised cashew nuts of the menu were absent, or probably dissolved into the chemical dish. The 'sweet and sour' taste was there, but again it was dull. It looked like chicken (non marinated) with ketchup, cream and a few spices. The naan was probably bought at the local tesco, it certainly tasted the same.
Finally, dessert. Kheer, with a choice of crushed nuts or not. I asked for them, of course there was none. It tasted alright, not creamy enough, not rich enough, not flavoursome enough. I didn't finish it.
We called the manager who said he was sorry that we were disapointed, but was adamant his food was up to standard.
Don't go there for lunch, seriously. This is probably one of the worst restaurants I've been to, and I know a few. If you enjoy good standards, avoid. This barely comes at par with cheap take aways, which at least don't have the pretension to claim their food is outstanding. Service was bad, the food was even worse.
Go and buy a pizza, really. read more