Wall devoted to Indian celebrities who visited Raaj Kapur restaurant in Tashkent.
| Picture Credit score: PTI
Within the coronary heart of Tashkent, a metropolis recognized for its wealthy historical past, stands an Indian restaurant celebrating the legacy of legendary Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor and the love of the Uzbeks for him even 35 years after his loss of life.
Styled on the Bollywood theme, the ‘Raaj Kapur’ restaurant which is among the three main Indian eating places in Tashkent, isn’t new however at the very least 16 years previous and is successful amongst not solely Indian vacationers but in addition locals for its lip-smacking dishes.
Three superstars from the Kapoor household — Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor — have additionally dined on the restaurant on totally different events.
“Folks in Uzbekistan are loopy about Bollywood and generations of individuals from Uzbekistan and Russia – even the younger – are conscious of Raj Kapoor and his cinema and regard him as Bollywood’s numero uno. The restaurant attracts extra crowd for its identify and fewer for Indian meals, which most guests uncover after having fun with a meal,” Sameer Khan, Resident supervisor, Raaj Kapur restaurant advised PTI.
‘A particular stopover’
Housed within the Le Grande Lodge in Tashkent, the restaurant is a particular stopover for vacationer teams from India and is common for its Bollywood nights the place Uzbeks additionally groove on prime chartbusters from the 90s.
Whereas Khan, who’s initially from Mumbai, manages the property, the thought of the restaurant was first conceptualised by Jay Al Atas, an Indonesian who fell in love with Indian meals throughout a go to to the nation and was additionally impressed with the craze for Raj Kapoor in Russia and Uzbekistan.
“Loads of Indian vacationer teams come right here frequently whereas Uzbeks benefit from the meals on events and likewise love clicking photos right here. Every time a Bollywood movie star from India comes right here, there’s a bustling crowd,” he added.
The restaurant can be the official caterer for almost all of Indian occasions — be it the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to or ones like a current Bollywood night time which noticed performances by Daler Mehandi and Ravi Kishan.
5 cooks from totally different components of India are behind the variety-loaded menu on the restaurant.
“We provide all types of delicacies which might be out there in India. Our bestselling dishes are butter rooster, biryani, cheese naan and dosa,” mentioned chef Kalamuddin Sheikh who hails from Orissa.
Wall devoted to Indian celebrities who visited Raaj Kapur restaurant in Tashkent.
| Picture Credit score:
PTI
Superstar friends
A wall within the restaurant boasts of the famend individuals who have visited the restaurant be it politicians like Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh or Bollywood celebrities like Mithun Chakraborty, Shibani Kashyap, Daler Mehandi, Gulshan Grover, amongst others.
“We’ve positioned signed sketches of the celebrities from India who’ve visited us. The restaurant is an enormous hit right here,” Sohail Khan, High quality Supervisor on the restaurant advised PTI.