The Republic of Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in central Asia known for hearty, homey meat dishes. There is a handful of restaurants specializing in Uzbek cuisine in Los Angeles, where the roughly 3,000 Uzbek expats in the Los Angeles area — and others who appreciate comfort food — can indulge in the authentic tastes of the region. The newest such restaurant is Zira Uzbek Kitchen.

The restaurant is a family affair. The husband-and-wife team of Azim Rahmatov and Gulnigor “Gigi” Ganieva own the eatery and aim to create an atmosphere reminiscent of the hospitality of their homeland. He studied hospitality management at Cal Poly Pomona and managed a now closed Uzbekistan restaurant and then worked at luxury hotels. She runs their social media account, although her day job is as a cardiologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She explains that her husband supported her during her cardiology training and now she is supporting his dream to have his own restaurant. Azim’s brother, Azam Rahmatov, is the chef, having last cooked at an Uzbek restaurant in New Jersey.