Ageing Gracefully

Purveyor of the robust cuisine of the Northwest Frontier, Bukhara at the ITC Maurya is still going strong at 45.

- AMIT DIXIT

Bukhara at the ITC Maurya is a culinary conundrum. Here is a restaurant that has not only survived but thrived for well over four decades. In a food landscape where establishments open and shut with alarming frequency, this is certainly cause for celebration.

But what’s the secret sauce that keeps the fires at Bukhara burning? The closest analogy I can think of is—Rolex. Hear me out. The luxury watchmaker is known for being allergic to trends, which are ephemeral at best, and tweaks its products at a pace that can be best described as glacial. The same approach has served Bukhara well. In fact, it does not tweak anything at all. The motto seems to be: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. And that’s why loyal patrons keep going back in droves to this rustic-chic oasis inside the cool confines of the ITC Maurya.