Eating in Irkutsk - The Travelling Squid

Omul Irkutsk restaurant Snezhinka — Pan fried Omul with baked potatoes

This is a continuation from: Irkutsk, around and about: A Photo Story

After two days on the Trans Siberian train, with meals comprising mostly of instant noodles and canned sardines, eating was a very important part of our stop at Irkutsk.

The first thing after leaving our luggage in the hostel room was to search for a place which served hot, authentic Russian food.

We first headed to Snezhinka, a restaurant located on Karla Marska Street which was recommended by Lonely Planet. It cost about RUB400/ USD12.5/ SGD26 for a main course. The food tasted quite okay. The pork went well with the sauce and so did the omul and potatoes. My only gripe was that the portions were very small.

Snezhinka, Irkutsk Restaurant — Snezhinka, located on Karla Marska Street. The words looks different as it’s in Russian. (Took me some time to figure that out)

Pork Irkutsk Restaurant Snezhinka — Pork with potato wedges and tomato sauce

Snezhinka-restaurant-irkutsk-pork — An upclose view – looks much more appetising

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Kafe 16

As recommended by Lonely Planet, located on Sukhe Batora Street.

Our stomachs were not filled by the tiny portions earlier on, so we went on a search for a Kafe (cafe) to dine at – a restaurant would have burnt a hole in our pockets without doing it’s job (making us feel full). We located Kafe 16 quite easily. We ordered salmon in cheese sauce, cheese soup and our coffees. The waitress was probably the nicest we had met during out Russia trip – she was a university student and spoke some English. Took the time to explain to us what each dish meant, unlike most other service staff we met who were quite aloof.

Hot latte in Irkutsk – very foamy and comes with straw.

Irkutsk, Coffee, cappuccino, Kafe 16 — Equally foamy cappuccino – taste less milky than the latte though

Cafes in Russia, MTV russian songs — In most cafes in Irkutsk, there’s a TV playing popular Russian songs. So much so that I found several of them quite familiar on the train.

Cheese soup with croutons. Kafe 16 Irkutsk — Cheese soup with croutons. Russia food often comes with a sprinkle of dill on it.

Kafe 16, Irkutsk, Salmon in cheese sauce — Quite an interestingly decorated piece. Salmon in cheese sauce (tasted quite like the soup, with dill, lettuce and parsley as garnish

Chicken burgers, fast food, Irkutsk — Burgers from a random fast food outlet for breakfast. Tasted like McChicken, but more expensive!

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Lake Baikal

We also bought Omul back when we went to Listvyanka to see Lake Baikal. It’s freshly caught from the clear, fresh waters of the majestic Lake Baikal. It costs a very affordable RUB50/ USD1.56/ SGD2 and taste very yummy. Best to eat it hot when you are there, or if your accommodation comes with a microwave oven, heat it up and it will taste great. We were over the omul like cats.

Omul, Irkustsk, russia, delicious, listvyanka fish market — Baked omul in a special sauce, taste delightful on a cold winter’s day.

Omul, fish market listvyanka, lake baikal, russia — The fish market in Listvyanka sells a variety of Omul cooked in different ways. Not all are ready to be eaten on the spot though. Ask!

Meatball and potatoes Russian food — Meatball and potatoes we had at Listvyanka – A Russian staple – We saw many of them eating that on the train. Taste great when you’re freezing!

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A normal meal at Pop Cafe, Irkutsk

Lasagna - Pop Cafe, Irkutsk. — Lasagne – Pop Cafe, Irkutsk. Russian food seems to be quite Westernised.

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Subway in Russia ; )

Subway irkutsk russia — Subway in Irkutsk

Alas, a familiar brand name. Quite a warm and empty place. It taste quite like the one you can get in Singapore though slightly more expensive. They have borscht which taste like a tomato based soup – for the authentic borsht, try it in restaurants.

A subway footlong - Irkutsk — A Subway footlong – Irkutsk

Subway in russia, irkutsk footlong — Brimming with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes

Subway Brosht — Subway’s Borsht – taste like plain old tomato soup

Eating in Irkutsk – all I can say that it was slightly expensive, but the omul certainly left a good taste in my mouth. Cafes also make a good resting place, especially when temperatures outside at a -7 deg. Have fun.

Watch this space for my next post on the trip to see Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake.

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