Uzbek cuisine is diverse. Sometimes “traditional Uzbek food” requires more details about a certain food among locals. This is because what you find in Tashkent cannot be found in other cities of Uzbekistan. I think the reason is that there are different ethnic groups in our country and they have their own tastes and preferences.

I remember my first visit to Bukhara cafe. I was surprised by the cafe’s name “Bukhara,” since the menu contained all the traditional food I knew. So I ordered somsa, kebap, salad, and bread. I found the answer to my question when I saw my order on the table and when I tasted it. So Bukhara food is cooked differently and with a different recipe.

The somsa contained a piece of tomato inside, which is totally not usual for Tashkent somsa. I actually liked the idea of adding some tomato into the somsa, since it added some richness to the taste. Next, my friend mixed fresh salad with suzma – my eyes went wide open. I could never imagine that mixing a dairy product with fresh salad could be so tasty.

There are a lot of Bukhara cafes in Tashkent city and all of them are simple, offer tasty food for an affordable price. By the way, the waitresses are all from Bukhara and they wear Uzbek traditional dresses as a uniform.

The price of somsa ranges from USD $0.80 – $1, which is pretty cheap.