Bukhara has been entertaining the great and the good – Arnold Schwarzenegger and Roger Federer included – for almost 40 years, barely changing its menu across its lifespan. Housed in the ITC Maurya, the dining room’s stone walls and log-top tables belie the sophistication of the food. Serving regional specialities from India’s rugged North West, an open kitchen allows guests to watch chefs skewer tandoor-cooked meat and vegetables with precision. In keeping with the frontier theme, cutlery isn’t provided. Instead, diners are invited to tear apart the likes of murg tandoori – a whole chicken marinated in yoghurt, garlic and spices – with their bare hands. Its dahl Bukhara is the stuff of legend; many try to replicate it but never achieve its perfection.
