Kazakh food is predominantly based around smoked meats, especially mutton and horse. We understand that horsemeat tastes very much like beef and some of the Nationwide FSF Fans' Embassy certainly claim to be able to eat a horse. We'll see if they can in the literal sense! There weren't many vegetables being served with meals so it looks like you may have to forgo your five-a-day and healthy eating, don't expect to see Gillian McKeith following the Three Lions abroad then. 'Cos she's Scottish you see.
Horse-meat sausages are extremely popular especially varieties such as kazy, karta and shuzhuk. You may chuckle but at least they know what's in their sausages. Supermarket 45% cheapo-meat-budget sausages we are looking at you.
Kumiss is a fermented mare’s milk that is usually drunk with meals. It has a fizzy quality about it and a sourly taste. No comment.
Kurt is little balls of dried curd that are rather salty and another similar snack is Kuirdak which is made from the internal organs of freshly slaughtered animals. Not for the faint-hearted!
Manty are steamed dumplings filled with either spiced beef or lamb, sometimes with chopped vegetables added.
There are a wide range of places to eat in Almaty covering all tastes and budgets, but a large number of places are unlikely to have English menus.
If you prefer to know what you are eating the main market (Zelenniy Bazaar) has fresh veg and fruit, salads daily and sandwiches with lipeshka (flat bread). Alternatively head for one of the major supermarkets (Ramstor or Gros) and the deli counters have salads, pies and cooked chicken available.
Try to avoid eating in hotels as you are likely to pay double what you would at a local restaurant. For something different there is also a selection of restaurants on the road inside the entrance to the Alatau National Park just outside Almaty at the foothills of the mountains.
You won’t find a McDonalds here, the nearest they have is Starburger which can be found in the shopping malls and main city centre streets or WestBurger which looks familiarly like McDonalds but the Golden Arches are upside-down! Parallel universe.
The American Bar & Grill on Tole Bi is open 24hrs and claims to have the best burgers in Alamty. They also do the other usual stuff you would find in an American diner including Tex-Mex, ribs and a selection of Italian dishes. A TGI Fridays franchise.
DRINKS
Although some Kazakhstanis abstain from alcohol on religious grounds, the legacy of Soviet rule brought its tradition of vodka drinking. There are numerous local brands, but avoid the cheapest ones, they usually taste like petrol (if you're lucky). Kazakhstan also produces a rather sweet brandy known as Konyak.
There are some reasonable Kazakhstan beers worth trying including Tian Shan, Shymkent and Karaganda. In large restaurants in Almaty you may also find a wide selection of imported beers.
For those who enjoy their coffee there are a few westernised type coffee shops opening regularly in Almaty but the locals’ favourite brew is actually tea, usually served black. Look out for Coffee Shop Pinocchio, as like Westburger, this is a coffee shop with a logo very similar to Starbucks.
The Schwabische Hausen comes recommended on several sites for their selection of Belgian beers but the only directions to it we can find are that it is on Ablai Han & Vinogradova next to the superette (which we assume is a sort of supermarket).
Now for the most important bit.... what about the bars? Well, the good news is there are quite a few English & Irish bars about. The bad news is imported beers like Carlsberg are likely to be around £7 per pint and even more if you are buying in hotels. Local beers are in the region of £3-£3.50 a pint.
The Albion Club on Samal Street (just off Furmanov Street) is close to the Ramstor supermarket and has two bars. The upstairs bar is a shrine to Manchester United with a selection of authentic memorabilia dotted about the place. The downstairs bar covers all types of British music and the menu apparently identifies each dish with the name of an underground station.
The Arsenal pub located on on Dostyk Avenue does not relate to the football club but is instead decorated with crossbows, suits of armour and the like. It does show football so in the unlikely event of you not having a ticket for the game this is a good a place as any to watch it.
The Bull & Bear is a basement pub and is situated on Kabanai Batyr Street and do bar snacks
Dickens on Dostyk Avenue describes itself as an English restaurant & pub but with a menu serving the likes of curry, Thai-style beef, fajitas and pizza (and Belgian beer) we think they are slightly misleading and a little lost in their identity! Ok, we'll give them the traditional English curry.
Guns and Roses is a large English-type pub with a selection of familiar and popular beers, an extensive and reasonably-priced menu, billiards, TV, live music and wi-fi access.
Dublin is an Irish-themed bar on Baiseitova Street (may also be spelt Bayseytova). As well as Guinness it also has Harp & Kilkenny on draft and serves a standard range of pub grub.
Mad Murphys on Tole Bi is an expats favourite haunt. With English speaking staff, Guinness and Kilkenny on tap and a menu consisting of pizzas it's almost like home. Wi-fi also available.
Guinness on Dostyk is a popular bar near to Hotel Kazakhstan with pool tables, food, live music and (obviously) Guinness on tap.
You can, in theory, buy alcohol in the supermarkets (if you can find them!). Local beers are around £3 a litre and there is nothing to stop you getting your beers and sitting in the local parks to drink it so long as you are not disturbing others. The police have told us they will tolerate this but will not accept loud singing and unacceptable behaviour.
PLEASE NOTE - beware of buying duty-free drinks at the airport on your way home as it will not pass the current EU security rules if you are transferring flights. It should be ok if you are on direct flight back to the UK.
PINK LINK BAR GUIDE
Gay bars tend to come and go in the small underground scene in Almaty, so you may have to ask your hotel information desk what is currently available.
Although it changes its location regularly, Real Club is the most popular gay club in Almaty. Open 11pm-6am. At time of research (March 09) the club was located at 152 Raiymbeka. A European-style Club attracting a matchmaking 20-something sort of clientele mixed with both local Kazakhs and tourists. The club is open nightly from 11pm and parties until dawn and there is a nominal fee or no door charge for men, with women having to pay a small fee! Cheeky eh? Entertainment is provided in the form of dance tunes and the occasional drag show.
XXX is a friendly, mostly lesbian club to the west of the city, (around 6Km from Central Station), located at 18 Zhubanov.
Da Freak is a general nightclub that is gay-friendly and located centrally on Gogol. Open from 11pm-6am it has 2 dance floors and top DJs. The entrance is to the back of the Zhuldyz Restaurant in Panfilov Park.
