UZBEKISTAN GUIDE TIPS. PART #3 THE MUST-EAT LIST: TASHKENT

There is one thing in what everyone who was in Uzbekistan agrees: food is very delicious here. The variety of tastes of Uzbek cuisine you will remember for a long time. Natural, organic, simple products are used in preparing meals.

Number one in Tashkent Must-Eat List is Plov. It’s traditional festive dish. But at the same time real Uzbek people can eat plov every single day. In Uzbekistan Thursday is plov’s day. Plov is made from rice, meat, carrot, onion and spices. In different interpretations raisin, pea, garlic and other things can be added. The real plov is surely made in pot on fire. Plov usually is made for large number of people, because we Asians love to eat in big companies and sharing meals. Worth noting that there are different types of plov in different parts of our big country.

Plov

In Tashkent plov places almost at every step. But one place is special and famous one. It’s ‘Central Asian Center of Plov’ in Yunusabad region. Cafe is large and popular, prices are low.

In Uzbekistan we are meat-lovers, so number two is Shashlik, similar to Turkey well-known kebab or meat on sticks. Meat can be lamb, beef, chicken, fish and even pork; because there are different nations live in Uzbekistan. For good shashlik go to ‘Navat’ cafe, inside Poytaht Mall.

Shashlik

Do you remember how Panda Po ate noodles, seemed so yummy? The next dish is like thick noodles with meat and veggies, it’s called Lagman. It can be prepared either as the soup or fried noodles. Originally it’s Uyghur dish, but there are a lot of interpretations in Central Asia. And Uzbek lagman is worth to try in ‘Lagman-House’, located near Chorsu bazaar opposite the mosque. It is special feeling to eat nice food in the atmosphere where culture and religion intertwine.

Lagman

‘Anor’ café is also lagman-lovers place. It is located in the centre of Tashkent, near Gospitalniy bazaar. Interesting thing that you can watch the process of preparing lagman and other dishes, because there are transparent windows between guest hall and kitchen here.

Have you ever eaten horsemeat? The next food Narin consists of horsemeat and thin noodles. Nourishing meal, and usually it is eaten with bouillon which is also made from horsemeat.  

Narin

And the last one in our Must-Eat list is Kazan Kabob. Imagine deep fried golden brown whole potatoes, crispy fried meat, soft and fresh, melting in your mouth. You can find nice kazan kabob and narin at ‘Navat’ Cafe as well.

And just for navigation to good places in Tashkent where you can find delicious food and Uzbek traditional interior. Here is the list of cafes with average bill for one person 5-7$. ‘Rayhon’cafe, Karatash region opposite Media Park.‘Soy’ cafe opposite Uzbekistan Parliament Building.‘Manas’ cafe, interesting and unusual interior, you will sit in yurts and touch national Uyghur coloring.

And a bit of pompous and expensive places: ‘April Verdant’, ‘Caravan’,’IKAT’. Nice food, gorgeous interior.