Review of the Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, Colorado

Set near downtown Boulder, the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse architecture stands out against its surroundings. The panels decorating the outside walls distinguish it from its simple neighbor buildings. It was designed to celebrate Boulder’s sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Many of the inside and outside artwork was created by hand in Tajikistan and then shipped to Boulder for use on the Teahouse.

The Teahouse sits along Boulder Creek, and has outdoor seating along the creek at umbrella covered tables. The peaceful babbling of the creek will make for a relaxing lunch or dinner, and a slight breeze will rustle the leaves of the trees and bushes surrounding the patio area.

Indoors there are regular tables with chairs as well as tables where you sit on the floor. The walls and ceilings are decorated with traditional Persian artwork. Huge carved columns extend upwards into the high ceiling. The center of the restaurant contains a fountain with life size sculptures of human figures. Tables align the fountain, and sitting there you can watch the fish swim around through the plants within the water.

A huge variety of teas are available. Black teas, green teas, oolong teas, white teas, herbal teas, and more will keep everyone in the party happy with something they like. The teas are all served loose-leaf in an infuser in the teapot. Even if you have never experienced tea before, you can enjoy a pot of their delicious varieties.

The lunch or dinner menu consists of a wide variety of international dishes. Countries represented on the menu include Thailand, India, Mexico, Tajikistan, Morocco, Italy, Korea, Germany, and more. The Tajik Plov is a beef dish rich in spices and complimented with onions, carrots, and chickpeas. A bit lighter, the Indian Kalaa Masala is a vegetarian curry dish with potatoes, eggplant, onion, carrots, and peas served with rice and naan. Every dish is full of spices that bring out their traditional flavors.

The meal can be followed up with dessert, many of which are soaked in a tea. The Chai Flan is like a traditional flan, but is soaked in Chai tea. The gingerbread is a wonderful dessert made of a thick slice of gingerbread, soaked in herbal tea, and topped with lots of spiced whipped cream. For those that prefer dessert teas, a handful of varieties are offered at the Teahouse.

In the afternoons the Teahouse has an afternoon tea. Tea time includes teas, pastries, sweets, and small sandwiches served on a tiered tray on white linen table clothes. Reservations are required for 24 hours in advance for afternoon tea.

The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse has wonderful food of a wide variety, but it’s more than just its food. It’s an atmosphere that brings you halfway around the world and lets you experience a small piece of the culture of Tajikistan.