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Gandhara - Extending the Eastern Touch |
A new dimension was added to Moscow's top tier dining scene with the opening last month of Gandhara, the first authentic Pakistani restaurant to hit the Russian capital. Located on Rochdelskaya Ulitsa, just around the corner from Moscow's celebrated restaurant row on Ulitsa 1905 Goda, the new establishment truly lives up to its name. Gandhara, the restaurant, typifies the same blend by presenting a decor that combines modern day interior and lighting with exquisite handmade replicas of ancient Gandhara sculptures, and offering a menu that features the diversity of Pakistan's culinary heritage together with a repertoire of improvised European fare. All this was lost on me on my first visit to the restaurant on its lavish opening night, where inaudible guest speakers vied for the crowd's attention, and the crowd vied for the attention of the overworked servers and bartenders. But there are two things from that evening which remain bracketed in my memory. First, the distinctly familiar meat-masala aroma that emanated from the open grill - an aroma common in my native Pakistan but one I had never encountered in Moscow during my three years here. And second, the fact that the two Russians who accompanied me - a business associate and his restaurant critic girlfriend - wolfed down every grilled lamb chop in sight in wanton disregard of their Lent vows because, admittedly, they were met with an irresistible flavour that was hitherto unknown to them. Nevertheless, in order to better digest the food and ambiance on offer, I felt a second visit to Gandhara was necessary, and decided to treat my wife there for dinner on a quiet evening during the May holidays. We arrived in the arrogant belief that no one was better equipped to appraise the candidate at hand than the two of us. I grew up in historic Lahore - Pakistan's second largest city that doubles as its food capital - and my wife in London, where she spent the better part of her school years supplementing her pocket money by assisting in her mother's extensive Asian food business. But the charming welcome of one of Gandhara's co-owners, who was personally yet unobtrusively checking on each of the diners, and the serene fusion music humming in the spacious, high-ceilinged dining area, immediately put us at ease. The statues and ornaments on display, as well as the furniture and other accessories in use, were all custom made in Pakistan and shipped to Moscow, and are a proud manifestation of exquisite Pakistani craftsmanship. The menu, assembled by a mostly Pakistani team led by an American chef, is an interesting mix of European fusion-style items and recognised Pakistani specialities. Even though the improvised Gandhara Caesar Salad (380 roubles) and the quintessentially western Baked Rack of Lamb (610 roubles) appeared tempting, we went for the definitive Pakistani starters by sticking to the Chicken Tikka (350 roubles) and the Peshawari Chaanp (Peshawar Style Grilled Lamb Chops) (640 roubles). Each of these came on a bed of crisp grated potatoes and, for some, could well have been a main course in disguise but, for us, was immensely appetising and masterfully presented. The spice level, tailored as requested to the red heat perfection suited to our Asian palates, was easily soaked to oblivion by Perrier (100 roubles) and Fresh Pear Juice (120 roubles). The delicious starters were almost upstaged by our vegetarian selections that followed - selections without which a Pakistani meal would be incomplete - Mixed Daal (Traditional Lentil) (250 roubles) and Bengan Ka Bhurta (Pakistani Style Eggplant) (250 roubles), accompanied by Butter Naan (Traditional Bread) (45 roubles a serving), each of which, happily, was nothing short of superb. Having taken our fill, the Kheer (Sweet Rice Pudding Garnished with Nuts and Dry Fruits) (110 roubles) saw us square off the meal with appropriate glee. In sum, Gandhara serves top quality food in a genuinely impressive setting. This unique combination of culture and cuisine is indeed a splendid addition to the ever-expanding mosaic of Moscow's culinary delights. by Walid Iqbal, Moscow, Russia, |
