Gold and Truffles, Glamour and Beauty

For familiar dishes with a seafood twist, head to Kaspiyka — where you can try okroshka with scallops and red caviar (UZS 175,000), crab shawarma (UZS 89,000), and mini-chebureks with sturgeon (UZS 130,000). If you’re lucky, you might catch one of the restaurant’s sturgeon filleting shows. Chef Alyona Ivakhnenko expertly carves the massive fish, cleans it, and immediately offers guests a tasting of delicacies featuring fresh sturgeon and black caviar. A true gastronomic spectacle.

At Brasserie Lambic, the embassy of Belgian beer culture, order a pot of mussels in classic white wine sauce (UZS 290,000) or with Roquefort cheese (UZS 290,000). It comes with crispy baguette and fries — both perfect for dipping. But the real culinary power move? Pairing the mussels with extra fries and a bottle of champagne, joining the legion of fans who’ve made this combo iconic enough to have its own holiday (January 10). But why wait? The best is already within reach.

At the temple of steaks, Myasnoy, alongside juicy ribeyes, spicy tartares, and impeccably smoked ribs, you’ll find a dish for seasoned hedonists: the 24-karat dry-aged steak. Choose between a tomahawk (UZS 1,600,000) or beef fillet (UZS 2,000,000), cooked to your preference and served under a delicate sheet of edible gold. Don’t expect any extra flavors — just expertly prepared meat and the undivided attention of the staff, ensuring your table quite literally glows.

You don’t need to leave Tashkent to experience Japan’s culinary finesse. At upscale Teppanyaki, the feast includes a wagyu roll (A4–A5 marbled beef straight from Japan, UZS 1,350,000), California roll with Kamchatka crab meat (UZS 570,000), Pacific bluefin tuna sashimi (UZS 590,000), and oysters with black caviar (UZS 230,000). For mains, turn to the teppan — a steel griddle built into the table — where exotic options like Caribbean lobster tail (UZS 545,000), octopus (UZS 580,000), wagyu misuji (UZS 630,000 per 100g), and black cod from the USA (UZS 375,000 per 125g) shine. Cap it off with wasabi crème brûlée (UZS 95,000), and start dreaming of your next trip to Tokyo.

For a decadent truffle burger, head to The Burger, preferably their C1 location. Settle into the shaded terrace, order the truffle burger (UZS 70,000) — or better yet, two (they’re small enough to justify it) — alongside truffle fries (UZS 45,000) and, of course, truffle sauce. The truffle intensity here is directly proportional to the pleasure.

At the recently opened Nachalo Wine & Kitchen, a paradise for oenophiles with 130+ wines from 16 countries, connoisseurs will find gems: biodynamic Austrian orange wine, expressive Loire crémant, unfiltered pét-nat from Riesling. But sometimes, all you want is a simple glass of champagne. Thanks to their Coravin system (which pours without uncorking or oxidizing the wine), Nachalo makes it possible. Magic? Absolutely. And since wine alone isn’t enough, chef Aziz Keldiyarov pairs it with gourmet bites: filet mignon with coffee mousse, lamb tongue with wasabi purée, baby octopus with spinach and wakame, or seafood crudo.

The chocolate boutique Qand (Uzbek for «candy») makes you fall in love with Uzbekistan through its chocolates and fillings. First impressions matter, and Qand’s packaging is stunning — featuring local motifs, often in collaborations with Uzbek artists and designers. But what’s inside? Memories and stories. Unwrap the orange foil, take a bite — suddenly, you’re under an apricot tree. Another bite, and you see women hand-picking pistachios for the filling. A third, and the milk chocolate ties it all into a symphony. A box makes a perfect gift, whether for visitors or yourself. The brand frequently releases special editions: Navruz-themed sumalak candy, chocolates honoring Uzbek cities, or ones featuring national symbols. Prices start at UZS 48,000 per piece and UZS 1,650,000 for a gift set.

Photos: restaurant websites and social media; Yandex Maps