Kazakhstan – July 2023
After a week in Astana, Almaty is a breath of fresh air in many ways. The air literally is almost free of pollution, there are historical buildings in the city center which serve as a reminder that Almaty is the original capital of Kazakhstan and in the south, the moutain range with its snow covered peaks makes for a stunning backdrop. After arriving by train in the evening, I go on a short walk from my hostel to Kabanbay Batyr, where I enjoy the laid back summer athmosphere alongside the locals strolling through the tree lined street. Suddenly, a terrace with tables covered in red and white checkered cloths make me stop. I look up and to my surprise find myself in front of an authentic Italian restaurant with the name „Del Papa“. Realizing that it has been more than 8 months since I‘ve last had proper Italian food, I sit down and treat myself to an exquisite meal of Bruschetta, Lasagna and Tiramisu. The prices are very reasonable considering the amazing quality and I vow to come back at least once during my 3 week stay in the city.
However, that never happens. After all, there are soo many other restaurants to discover. The first one is the Japanese fusion spot Акунин (Akunin), where I meet my friend Adiya for dinner after work the next day. It‘s her favourite place and we catch up over 2 glasses of their signature cocktails. Then, one of her colleagues casually stops by and we invite him to sit with us. We order a couple of main dishes to share (Yaki Udon, Sushi,..) and discuss life in Kazakhstan from different perspectives. Her colleague offering the male view on social issues I‘ve heard a lot about from my girl friends, have us agreeing to disagree on a few points. More than once, the delicious food serves as an opportunity to change the topic and reconcile and finally part ways well after midnight with a laugh on our faces.
On Sunday, I have another outing planned with Adiya. Despite staying out late the previous day for a local festival, she wants to introduce me to her favourite Café. Vanilla is so popular, it actually has multiple locations across the city. On this sunny afternoon (we end up postponing brunch till 1pm), we choose the central one with a number of outdoor seats available. I follow Adiya’s drink recommendation and order the coffee with orange juice. Apparently, this is the latest trend in Kazakhstan, but I guess my taste buds are not quite evolved enough. What I can understand the hype about thoug is the food. This time I go for the classic egg benedict toast with salmon and a generous amount of hollandaise sauce. On another occasion, I try the Shakshuka which I can also highly recommend. Accompanied by a latte and juice on the side(!), this makes a great brunch.
Later during my second week in Almaty, I have a “blind date” scheduled with a friend’s friend. Gauhar is currently living in Germany but when she hears that I’m visiting her hometown, she spares no efforts to make sure I’m having a good time. She gets me in touch with a local tour company which organizes weekend trips to the countryside and introduces me to her best friend Dina. After exchanging a few Whatsapp messages, Dina and I agree to meet for drinks after work. On the said day I finish before her, so I walk down to the town centre from my homestay in Kok-Tobe and treat myself to a lovely German homecooked meal at Frau Irma. I haven’t had potato salad and sausages in ages, and maybe that’s why the meal tasted exceptionally good. Or maybe it’s the 2 large beers, which I drink with Dina once she arrives, that influence my memory. Either way, a German restaurant in Kazakhstan definitely deserves a special mention.
Dina and I instantly get along and over the beers we talk and talk. Only after around 1.5 hours she mentions that she was actually meant to meet up with friends that evening. Trusting her assessment that they are cool, we head over to the nearby Shisha Bar called Mongol Bar, where the 2 other girls are already drinking and smoking. At first, I’m a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place, and the rather extravagant design. However, I soon feel comfortable sitting on the large wooden benches padded with thick cushions. Probably the extra order fries, black tea and the large Shisha that circles among us also helps to relax me. I’m surprised when I suddenly see that it’s already 2am. After all it’s a week day, but somehow nobody is in a rush to get home.
On a separate occasion during my last days in Almaty, I meet Dina and her friends again for drinks. Since the original meeting point (an Irish pub with cheap prices) is closed, we opt for nearby Pinta instead. The restaurant/bar is also available in multiple locations across the town and food as well as drinks, design and service are top notch. We spend some quality time there, once again discussing all kinds of topics that life in Kazakhstan brings: an upcoming road trip to Georgia and Turkiye, religion and how it’s tied to the culture, divorce, dating and life as single mothers. At around 10pm, someone suggests to head back to the Shisha Bar and few minutes later, we all get into a Yandex Taxi. Needless to say, I once again return to my homestay well after midnight.
Last but not least, we have the Georgian restaurant Leghvi, where Adiya wants me to try Kinkhali. We head there for my last meal in Kazakhstan before I return to Switzerland via Turkiye on a 2am flight. At this point, my sleep schedule is messed up enough, and I don’t mind a late dinner at all. Over Georgian salad and dumplings, Adiya tells me about her new apartment, we reminisce about my stay in Almaty and I vow to return sooner or later to this magical city. Maybe even for skiing in winter!
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