AMS headed to Qureshi Bukhara for classical Indian dining with a side of exemplary service.

August in Doha is unforgiving. The humidity hits you the moment you step outside, so when we arrived at Qureshi Bukhara at the Dusit Hotel & Suites, that cool towel pressed into our hands was a welcome relief. A small gesture, perhaps, but it set the tone for everything that followed.

This restaurant has been around for many years, which in Doha terms makes it practically venerable. And it still knows exactly what it’s doing.

Walking into Qureshi Bukhara felt like stepping into someone’s well-appointed home, if that someone happened to be exceptionally good at Indian cooking. Chef Irfan Qureshi is carrying on his family’s tradition here, serving meals that unfold in stages rather than arriving all at once. Stone walls. Copper gleaming in amber light. The sort of setting that makes you want to settle in for the duration of the evening.

Poppadoms and Chutneys
Chef Irfan started us off right. Poppadoms so crisp they practically shattered when you looked at them, alongside three chutneys that worked like a preview of coming attractions. The papaya one was gentle and sweet. The coriander-mint-green chilli hit with proper freshness. And the tamarind was rich and tangy in all the right ways.

Starters
Then came the parade of starters, and what a parade it was!
Gobi Pakora – cauliflower that’s been given the full treatment. Crisp batter outside, tender vegetable within. Simple but perfect.
Dahi Ke Kebab – these hung yoghurt patties shouldn’t work as well as they do, their golden exterior giving way to something impossibly creamy inside.
Murgh Peshawari Tikka – chicken that’s been marinated in yoghurt and kissed by the grill until it picks up that lovely smoky edge.
Barrah Kabab – lamb chops marinated within an inch of their lives, then cooked over embers until they practically fall apart. Succulent doesn’t begin to cover it.
Tandoori Jhinga – now these prawns were something special. Ajwain, chillies, turmeric, charred and brightened with lemon. My dining companion rarely touches seafood, particularly prawns. But she tried one and paused mid-bite. “Oh,” she said simply, which from her is high praise indeed. The kitchen had balanced spice with smokiness and freshness so perfectly they’d converted a sceptic on the spot.

The mango lassi was like a gentle intermission. Cool, smooth, just sweet enough to reset your palate without overwhelming it. While sipping, we took in our surroundings properly. All those earthenware touches, the copper gleaming in warm light – it feels rooted, familiar, like somewhere you’d genuinely want to linger.

Curries, Biryani and Bread
Murgh Makhani arrived looking every inch the comfort food classic it is. Tender chicken swimming in tomato, cream, butter and cashew. Indulgent? Absolutely. But somehow still balanced, which takes real skill.

Then came the star of the show. The Murgh Yakhani Biryani arrived sealed under a pastry lid like some sort of edible present. When the server broke through that golden crust, saffron-scented steam billowed up and filled half the restaurant. Inside? Rice so light it might float away, chicken that yielded to the gentlest pressure, spices that whispered rather than shouted. The raita alongside kept everything in perfect equilibrium.

Fresh bread completed the picture – tandoori naan soft and pillowy, bharwan kulcha stuffed with savoury goodness. Both still warm enough that you knew they’d just left the tandoor. Perfect for scooping, perfect for soaking up every last bit of sauce.

A Weekday Buzz
For a Wednesday night, it was surprisingly busy. Families gathered around shared platters, businessmen conducting quiet meetings over curry, couples taking their time over dinner. That sort of relaxed energy you get when people feel genuinely comfortable. It’s proof, really, that this place appeals to everyone.

A Sweet Finale
Dessert came in pairs. The Shahed e Jaam – basically a gulab jamun made better, stuffed with pistachios and almonds, drowning in saffron honey – was rich enough to satisfy a sweet tooth for weeks. The kulfi, scattered with almonds and served with vermicelli in syrup, provided the perfect cool, fragrant counterpoint. Heavy and light, warm and cold. They knew exactly what they were doing.

Final Thoughts
What pulled the whole evening together was the service. Our waitress struck that perfect balance between attentive and unobtrusive. And Archana, the supervisor, seemed to have eyes everywhere, keeping things running without ever making a show of it.

From the first poppadom to the final spoonful of kulfi, everything flowed. The kebabs held their own. The curries delivered exactly what they promised. The biryani was genuinely special. But it was more than just good food – the whole experience felt like an occasion, something worth sharing.

Qureshi Bukhara has earned its place as one of Doha’s most enduring Indian restaurants. If you’re after the real thing, this is where you’ll find it. ✤

GO: CALL 4004 4052 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING.