Last evening in Astana

We went back into the city centre tonight to try some Indian cuisine since we haven't had a curry for two months. A guide book in our hotel listed a restaurant called East - West, so we decided to give it a try. This restuarant serves food from a variety of countries but we learned that the owner is Indian so it sounded spot-on to us. It turned out to be one of the wee gems that you only find once in a while. The food was absolutely fantastic, so much so, that we asked to speak to the chef to thank him personally. Out from the kitchen came Sunil Gopal, who was not only the chef but also the proprietor. It is obvious that he takes immense pride in his cooking.

We exchanged stories and learned that Sunil originates from the south of India and has been in Astana for 7 years. He worked in some of the most upmarket hotels in the Middle East and here in Astana before establishing his own business. He is also a biker and has in the past owned a 1000cc BMW. He was keen to see our machines, so at the close of business (we arrived there late), he gave us a lift back to the hotel where we gave him a rundown on the BMW Adventures before snapping some pictures.

So, if you intend to visit Astana and you want a top quality meal, good service and reasonable price, then why not dine at East-West Restaurant, Ave Kabanbay batyra, 2/2 tel +7 (7172) 24 30 54.