Egorkino is a well-known and popular name in Astana. So much so, that there are now two of them. The bigger, newer version is, of course, on Restaurant Alley. The theme here, however, is a little closer to home, built to resemble a Russian peasant’s house, albeit on an enlarged scale. There are three main dining halls: one is designed like a small village; another like a mountain picnic spot; and the third a rather homely loft upstairs. The menu is immense but inspiring, with dishes such as the ‘tsar’s snack’ (salmon and horseradish) and amusingly-named ‘hangover, go away’ (potato and beef ribs soup). If you’re not yet at the hangover stage, try one of the fifteen varieties of vodka to get you there. Surreal surroundings and a real local vibe.