In conversations about the world's great food countries, Uzbekistan doesn't come up a lot.
But maybe it should.
That's the conclusion we drew from a recent visit to Silk Road Bistro, a Pikesville restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of the former Soviet republic. The food and staff at Silk Road — which is named for the ancient trading route that connected China and the Mediterranean and not the now-defunct website in the news for its illicit deals and legal troubles — make excellent ambassadors for Uzbek culinary traditions.
Scene & Decor Silk Road opened in 2010 and moved to its current location in January of this year. The space feels freshly renovated and decorated, with walls covered in murals, including a large map of the historic Silk Road.
When we arrived, around 6:30 on a Thursday evening, the restaurant was nearly full, with several large tables occupied by multi-generational families, all speaking a language that sounded, to our ears, like Uzbek.
Some of the bigger tables appeared to be celebrating graduations; others may have just been at Silk Road for the belly dancing show, which starts around 7 every Thursday.
The one-woman show, which lasted for about half an hour, was a great bit of entertainment; the whole crowd loved it. (If you go, bring cash to tip the dancer; she deserves it.)
When it was over, a diner with one of the big parties got up and played a few songs on his accordion; everybody loved that, too. Dinner at Silk Road felt like one big party.
Appetizers Silk Road's menu reflects Uzbekistan's landlocked Central Asian location just south of Kazakhstan. Kebabs show the cuisine's Middle Eastern roots, though some dishes, like stuffed grape leaves, draw inspiration from the Mediterranean, and others, like an appetizer of pickled herring, are reminders of the country's relationship with Russia.
We started with samarkand ($5.99), a dish of beef tongue and cheese mixed with mayonnaise, named for a large Uzbek city. Though we liked the rich flavors of the meat and cheese, the large appetizer proved too much for us to handle alone.
A samsa ($2.50), or pastry stuffed with seasoned beef and onions, similar to an Indian samosa, was more manageable. With fragrant, heavily seasoned meat, flaky pastry, and a spicy, thin red sauce served on the side, the dish was a winner.
Entrees A skewered ground beef kebab ($3.99) and veal liver kebab ($3.99) were seasoned with savory spices, reminiscent of Middle Eastern cuisines, and cooked beautifully.
With the kebabs, an order of French fries ($1.99) was surprisingly spectacular. Thin, crispy and well-seasoned, the fries were not necessarily Uzbek delicacies, but they were excellent.
The kebabs were so well-seasoned that the meat in our other entree was a slight disappointment. The dish, called plov ($7.65), is an Uzbek specialty that pairs beef and lamb with rice pilaf.
The small portion of meat was cooked nicely but the flavor was a bit underwhelming, without strong spices. The rice, however, was fantastic and meaty, with crunchy bits, almost like paella.
Drinks During our visit, Silk Road was in the process of getting a liquor license transfer, so it was BYOB. However, it has since been approved for a liquor license and expects to begin serving drinks by early July.
Dessert After the entrees, the meal took a Mediterranean turn, with a warm, flaky piece of baklava ($2.99) washed down with tiny cups of strong Turkish coffee ($2.49).
Service Dinner and a show — and though the belly dancer wove in and out of the audience, instead of sticking to a stage, her performance was definitely a show — necessitates a different service strategy than just plain dinner. That's why we couldn't be too upset when after the show ended, and our entrees were gone, we sat for a few minutes. Our friendly and efficient young waitress, along with the rest of the staff, was hustling, trying to get food out to tables that ordered just before the show started.
Besides, at that point, the accordion player at the table next to us had picked up his instrument, so we had plenty to entertain us as we waited for dessert and the check.
Nearby on Dish Baltimore: Pikesville Restaurant Reviews