Samarkand
Russian and Uzbek food may not be at the top of most people’s foreign food wish lists; with a growing number of Italian, Southeast-Asian and Mexican restaurants in town, many people might think of it all as just “meat and potatoes.” But Samarkand is here to show why the region’s food deserves a closer look, and how some truly wonderful things can be done with those meat and potatoes.
Atmosphere and Service
At first glance, Samarkand does not seem to be the most inviting place. You will not be greeted loudly by a smiling staff and the menu, as large as it is, will probably only have half of the dishes available on a good day. Also, it would be helpful to know either Hangul or Cyrillic, as only some of the menu has English descriptions. The food will come out in waves, one or two dishes at a time, so this is not somewhere to go if you are in a hurry. However, the service is always friendly and the food is fantastic.
Food
Whatever happens to be on the menu on any given day, it is always good. The usual starter is a samsa, a flaky, meat- and onion-filled pastry, and shurpa, a lamb and potato soup with a heavy broth. Next, move on to pelmen, which are small, Russian meat dumplings, or manty, larger Uzbek meat dumplings. Both types come with large dollops of sour cream.
The most impressive dishes at Samarkand are the shashlik. These giant skewers of grilled meat are popular throughout Russia and Central Asia, and it is easy to see why. The meat comes out on long metal skewers fresh from the grill, sizzling and crispy on the outside. The meat is perfect with a few pieces of thinly-sliced onion. As Uzbekistan is primarily a Muslim country, expect to see mostly beef and lamb on the menu, a nice change from the usual pork-heavy offerings available elsewhere.
Most dishes range from 7,000 to 10,000 won and shashlik are 4,000 to 5,000 per skewer. Bottled Baltika, a line of Russian beer, is available for 6,000 won. Vodka, wine and Armenian cognac are also available for around 20,000 won per bottle.
Directions
Take a bus to Wolgok Market. With the market on your left, walk along the main road until you come to a block with a fire house next to a police station. Make a left at the police station and walk until you see Samarkand on the right.