Minnesota’s Only Uzbek Restaurant Serves Up Central Asian Cuisine in Plymouth
Samarkand Offers a Taste of Uzbekistan in Plymouth
The United States is a melting pot of cultures, and in a small strip mall in the southeast corner of Plymouth, visitors can get a taste from a country located more than 6,000 miles away.
“I think that’s one of the beautiful things about America,” said Aziz Radjabov, co-owner of Samarkand Restaurant. “You can access different cultures and their cuisines.”
Radjabov and his uncle own Samarkand, which is Minnesota’s only Uzbek restaurant. It’s named after the town in Uzbekistan where Radjabov and his family are from.
“I think our cuisine has a lot to offer, and different tastes for people,” he said.
Uzbekistan was once part of the Great Silk Road uniting the East and West, and as such, their food is inspired by both regions.
One of the most notable items on their menu are the samsas.
Samsas are a traditional puff pastry filled with a ground beef mix.
“So, other cultures know them as samosas, but we stuff them with beef and onions,” Radjabov said.
Other popular dishes include steamed dumplings, which are quintessentially Chinese, or soups that are more commonly associated with Russia.
“We make everything from scratch, including the noodles,” Radjabov said.
A family-owned restaurant
The staff at Samarkand consists of Radjabov and his family. They immigrated to the U.S. in 2007, moved to Minnesota in 2019 from New York City, and shortly thereafter they opened the restaurant in an area with a large Russian community.
“Our cuisine is quite known, you know Uzbek cuisine quite known within the soviet circles,” Radjabov said.
Now after surviving the restrictions brought about by the pandemic, Radjabov and his family are eager to introduce Uzbek cuisine to a wider audience.
“The most enjoyable aspect is introducing our cuisine and culture to new people who haven’t heard about us and see excitement in their eyes,” Radjabov said. “And when they try our food, and how happy they get, that’s the best feeling.”
Samarkand Restaurant is located at 16 Nathan Lane North, Plymouth, MN, 55441.
