Classic hearty Uzbeki dishes are the draw at this hidden jewel in Nihonbashi. Along with a few Turkish and Russian staples, and even some Georgian wine!

You walk through a dark corridor in an office building on a back street and come out into an exotic Central Asian room, a crimson box decorated with tapestries and images of the architectural wonders of Samarkand. On any given day, the customers may include Japanese businessmen reminiscing about their posting to Tashkent, local office workers on a girls' night out, Japanese hippies just back from a sojourn on the Silk Road, and Uzbekistanis looking for a taste of home.

A good start is the Karisuk Meze, a platter of Turkish appetizers. It usually comes with Halloumi cheese, a very garlicky hummus, a spinach salad and the delightfully named Achick-Chuck (tomato, cucumber and onion salad). Other choices include Markovcha (carrot and dill salad) and Chuvot (cucumber and yogurt). All these items go well with the piping-hot pita flatbreads. Turkish Mantu are delicious boiled dumplings packed with lamb and spices, served with a tart yogurt and tomato sauce.

Uzbek specialties include Guvec (grilled octopus with bell peppers, tomatoes and onions), pan-fried lamb with vegetables, and the Shashlik set, a quiver of chicken, lamb and beef skewers. There are a couple of unusual pizzas too: Lahmacun, with spicy ground beef and cheese, or Gozleme, with anchovies and cheese.

It is definitely worth making a reservation for the Plov, the Uzbek national dish. The original pilaf rice, it's a mound of cumin-infused rice, carrots and onions, cooked together with chunks of lamb on the bone and a whole head of roast garlic. A tasty and filling way to end the meal.

The drinks menu is similarly eclectic, and offers Turkish Efes and Czech Knidos beers, Russian vodka, and wines from Turkey, Italy, South Africa and New Zealand. We went for the blood-red Saperavi, a full-bodied Georgian red that paired perfectly with the bold flavors of the food.

The lunch menu generally offers a tasty doner kebab with hash browns, mutton stew, tabaka (Georgian pan-fried chicken with a nut-and-plum sauce), ground beef in a tomato stew, or mixed plates.

Allow about 800 to 1300 yen for lunch, and 3,000 to 4,000 yen for dinner with drinks. On Saturdays they serve dinner only.