Weekend Wander │ ASTANA Restaurant

Kak dela, It’s the Second Day of Chinese New Year!

We had always been fans of the YouTuber Benjamin Rich, better known as Bald and Bankrupt. His adventures through post Soviet countries fascinated us, especially the way he introduced everyday life and food in those regions.

Naturally, we became curious.

A Craving for Something Different

We had often wondered what dishes like shashlik and borsch tasted like. So, to make up for our rather low key reunion dinner the night before, we decided to treat ourselves to something special.

Our destination: Astana Restaurant.

Their menu promised a mix of Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian cuisine, and that alone was enough to spark our excitement.

Our First Experience of Asian Russian Cuisine

After a quick look through the menu, we ordered a feast:

• Khachapuri (Georgian cheese filled bread) – RM25.00
• Beef Plov (rice with rich meat stew) ×2 – RM34.00
• Borscht Soup – RM12.00
• Lamb Shashlik (3 skewers) – RM30.00
• Kvas (fermented drink) – RM20.00
• Olivier Salad – RM12.00
• Passion Fruit Juice – RM10.00

Including a 10% service charge, our total came to RM157.30 (≈ USD38/EUR33).

Worth It?

It wasn’t a cheap meal by our standards—but it felt like a proper experience.

The standout for us was definitely the Beef Plov. We enjoyed it so much that we ended up ordering a second serving.

The borscht was hearty and comforting, the shashlik smoky and satisfying, and the rest of the dishes gave us a great introduction to flavours we rarely encountered.

Final Thoughts

This wasn’t just dinner—it was a small step into a different culinary world. We came away:

• Full
• Curious
• And eager to explore more of this cuisine

And for that alone, it was worth every ringgit.

Looking Ahead

What started as curiosity turned into a memorable meal—and definitely one we would revisit.

Stay tuned—more festive adventures to come! 🍲✨

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Astana Restaurant - https://g.page/AstanaRestaurant?share

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