Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
above a small supermarket is good value.
But for two people sharing it's worth pay-
ing marginally more and chosing the
Tagaytay.
Hotel¨Amir¨
BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$
(
%
513 15; info@hotelamir.kg; Ayni 78; s/d
US$47/65, basement US$45/55;
paiW
)
Karakol's best hotel is brightly painted in
raspberry and apricot tones. Cheerful rooms
have a 1970s retro vibe and there are bril-
liant
ala-kiyiz
wall hangings throughout,
including a Picasso-like masterpiece behind
reception. Downstairs rooms have less light
but are discounted. There's a power genera-
tor for electricity blackouts.
Tagaytay¨
HOTEL $$
(
%
521 61; www.tagaytay.org.kg; Tynystanov 29a;
s/d/luxe Mar-Nov 1500/2000/2500som, Dec-Feb
2000/3000/4000som;
nW
)
New, central and
sparkling clean, the Tagaytay's finest feature
is the ceiling-less communal lounge with
attractive artwork, saddle-display and real
fire. However, noise from here can reverber-
ate, disturbing light-sleeping guests. Rooms
could be a little larger but are still some of
the best in Karakol and are brought to life
with vivid traditionally patterened duvets.
Free wi-fi.
5
¨Eating
The Dungan snack-meal
ashlyanfu
(cold,
gelatine noodles in a spicy-vinegary sauce)
is sold for a few som at the Ak-Tilek Bazaar
and at many local dives for 25som a bowl.
For free wi-fi and sit-down fast food, try
Tou
(gorkogo; mains 90som;
h
9am-midnight;
W
)
.
Kench¨Café¨
INTERNATIONAL $$
(
%
207 07; cnr Telmona & gebze; meals 150-
320som;
h
11am-11.30pm;
WE
)
Slightly class-
ier than the competition - which doesn't
say a lot - Kench has stone-effect walls with
playful petroglyphs and stylishly elegant
tables that would be better if the chairs fit
under them. An English menu has a wide
range of usually reliable options including
tasty
badanju
(lightly stir-fried chicken with
vegetables). Summer terrace has barbecue.
Free wi-fi.
Bistro¨Mustafa¨
HALAL, KYRgYZ $$
(Toktokul 108/3; samsa 25som, mains 50-150som;
h
8am-9pm)
Steering just clear of serious
tackiness, Mustafa has made more effort
than most Karakol eateries to create a sense
of style - a mish-mash with Islamic imagery,
cases of Soviet badges, mirror walls and faux
beam-work. Local delicacies are good value
and attractively presented, but service is
sweetly incompetent. The all-Cyrillic menu's
humorous tone makes it all the harder for
foreigners to decipher.
Lovely¨Pizza¨
PIZZA, SUSHI $$
(Tynystanov near Moskovskaya; pizza 200-360som,
sushi per piece 35som;
h
9am-11pm)
Karakol's
best pan-pizza is served in a slightly scrappy
summer yard or in the small, oh-so-pink
cocktail bar area with its pearl-effect set-
tee seating.
Kalyan
(water-pipes) to smoke
from 250som.
Maximum¨
RESTAURANT $$
(126 Toktogul; mains 90-170som;
h
10am-11.30pm)
Cavernous restaurant with a few
shyrdaks
to enliven the walls. Good
azu
(fried beef
and onions in sauce on a bed of fries) and
oromo
(plate-sized mostly vegetable-filled
giant pasta circles). Sometimes turns disco.
Fakir¨Café¨
INTERNATIONAL $$
(
%
510 88; Jaldosh Jusaev (gorkogo); meals 110-
250som;
h
8am-10pm;
E
)
Large and clean,
if rather sterile, Fakir makes up for its lack
of visual appeal with an inventive, multi-
cuisine menu and English-speaking staff.
Kalinka¨
RUSSIAN $$
(
%
055-558 7870; Jusup Abdrakhmanov 99; blinis
40-70som, meals 125-255som;
h
10am-10pm;
E
)
From the outside, this pretty chocolate-box
house looks delightful, but the pop-blasted
interior is less appealing and you might wait
a long time for the creditable Russian food
to arrive... bring some reading material.
Menu partly translated.
6
¨Drinking¨&¨Nightlife
Karakol¨Coffee¨
COFFEE
(www.facebook.com/karakolcoffee; Toktogul 112a;
coffee 70-110som, sandwich 70-150som;
h
9am-
10pm)
Karakol's first barista-savvy venue for
a well-turned caffeine fix is now a cult travel-
ler hangout. English spoken.
7
¨Shopping
o
OVOP¨
LOCAL PRODUCTS, CRAFTS
(One Village One Product;
%
543 57; Toktogul;
h
9am-6pm)
Beautifully presented selec-
tion of locally sourced products including
delicious barberry and apricot juices from
Jeti-Öghüz, natural soaps from Tasma,
threadless slippers, beeswax candles, silk-
felt hybrid products, toys, hats and more.
