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RESTAURANTS:
1) The Luna is almost opposite the Okan Intercontinental Hotel in Abai Ave, just towards Respublika.
It is a pleasant, unfussy place, with cheerful staff (who do not speak English) but there is an English menu.
Some nights there is a floor show (actually quite decent: two girls - no nudity!) in the basement part of the restaurant at no extra charge.
2) The Venezia is part of the Sine Tempore shopping mall in Beibitshilik.
Quite smart. English menu and they accept credit cards, but be careful as my card was cloned when I used it there!
3) In the ministry of agriculture (opposite the Dollar building) on the first floor is an excellent canteen where you can eat for around 200 T, and it is open for lunch and dinner. People come in from neighbouring ministries too.
4) In Respublika, just down from Arbat, is a good fast food joint. No English menu but you can point!
5) Also in Respublika, and nearby is the Jolly Roger. Said to be an expat hang-out though I didn't see any. English menu and a reasonable selection. It's rumoured that they sometimes over-charge so check your bill.
6) Nearly opposite the Jolly Roger, on the other side of Respublika is "Pub". A small, smoky yet pleasant place for a drink. No English menu.
OTHER THINGS:
Sine Tempore is a vast, brand new, shopping mall on the side of Beibitshilik. Lots of expensive shops and also things like a hardware shop where you can buy the funny light bulb you need for your refrigerator. A restaurant and coffee bar too as well as a cash machine at the entrance.
There is a very good laundry 'Snow White' at the corner of Respublika and Seifulin. They do dry cleaning and laundry. Very efficient and take a couple of days for laundry.
There are at least two ten-pin bowling alleys.
One is just along from Seifulin from the junction with Respublika. There's a also a bar and pizza type food.
The other is in Alatow Sport (not sure of the spelling). Has a small bar.
Both are clean, safe, cheery places - though the actual alley is not that easy to find in Alatow - walk up the stairs in the entrance and go as far as you can to the back of the building!
There are several supermarkets, including one in Sine Tempore (Italian orientated) and another along Kenesary between Beibitshilik and Auezov. There is also a German orientated one in Respublika south of the junction with Abai.
A smaller one is on the junction of Seifulin and Respublika, which conveniently has an exchange booth as well.
There is a shop selling souvenirs in Sine Tempore (first floor) and another in Respublika, near Pub.
There are a good number of shops selling Activ phone cards, but not all shops have all denominations so you may need to shop around.
There is a good internet cafe in the Press Club in Beibitshilik junction with Kenesary. Ground floor on the left. Nursat's office is on the first (Russian second) floor.
The best map of Astana that I found, updated in 2000, was "Astana Plans" scale 1:20.000 in English which I actually bought in the Kazakhstan Hotel in Almaty for 600T.
By David from England (May 02)
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