Some culinary signals in Almaty are impossible to ignore. One of the most powerful is the blast of intense, dry heat and the glorious scent of baking bread that pours from the doorway of a Georgian restaurant's kiosk. It is a scent that promises immediate comfort and delight.
The source of this magic is the tone, a deep clay oven, a cousin to the Central Asian tandyr. Presiding over it is a baker who, with a deft flick of the wrist, slaps the uniquely shaped dough against its scorching inner wall. It is a fascinating, ancient art form, performed with a casual mastery that is a joy to behold.
The prize is the shotispuri itself, a magnificent creation shaped like a long, curved crescent or a canoe. It emerges from the tone blisteringly hot, with pointed ends that are as crisp as a cracker and a soft, chewy belly. It is a bread that demands to be eaten immediately. The ritual is a simple one: you hand over your coins (or scan QR) and receive the enormous, hot loaf, often with no more than a sheet of paper to protect your hands. The temptation to tear off a crunchy end on the walk home is, I can assure you, utterly irresistible.
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79 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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