Nuala
Restaurant · Almaty ·
Seafood, meat, pasta, champagne, and fine dining
Seafood, meat, pasta, champagne, and fine dining
"An Old Street restaurant that has experienced significant turnover among its core team within a year: its sommelier left as the third founding/core member to depart, following the earlier exits of the executive chef (whose reasons for leaving remain undisclosed) and the head chef, who moved on to other projects." - Adam Coghlan
"Although the industrial, high-ceilinged room with concrete floors and big windows led one critic to liken it to a chain pub, the open-fire cooking largely redeems the surroundings: small pork crackling bites with jellied eel draw genuine ‘wow’ reactions, beef tartare is rated top-class, and an orzo with cuttlefish is singled out as a standout. Dishes are generally brightly coloured, light and well balanced, and the kitchen’s way with chips is repeatedly praised — proving that strong food can overcome an uninspiring interior." - George Reynolds
"Two national critics found much to admire but also notable inconsistencies. Snacks are tightly flavored and a starter of squid with almond cream is singled out as uniquely nourishing and swoon-inducing, while the wine list curated by Honey Spencer is praised for clearly separating funkier natural bottles from more conventional choices. There are brilliant moments — salt-baked beetroot described as worthy of lyric poetry, sublime potato and cabbage side dishes, and a fabulous sweetbreads with cauliflower rarebit — but signature mains can disappoint (a merely OK suckling pig, and a fireplace pumpkin with cheddar called a mess), and puddings are said to read well on the menu yet reduce mostly to creamy bowls. The service and hospitality are warm and cosseting, creating an inviting atmosphere, but some feel the flashes of genius are not frequent enough to justify the prices." - George Reynolds
"A recent opening whose clinical, minimally magnetic dining room—overhead lights likened to a dental hygienist and a central layout referencing the development’s corporate feel—belies food that is warm and often friendly. Dishes vary: some ideas stumble in execution (a Guinness-based sauce made steak tartare overly sloshy; sweetbreads and cauliflower suffered from an underpowered cheese sauce), while others shine, notably a beautiful chicken with chanterelles and a duo of potato preparations described as the menu’s best. Overall the place projects a warm-hearted intent amid inconsistent plates, and early coverage even sparked discussion because two high-profile critics reviewed it within 24 hours, one of those write-ups provoking controversy for tone and behavior as much as for food." - George Reynolds
"A temporary Evening Standard restaurant reviewer, Julie Burchill, filed a largely positive review of a new, modern Irish restaurant that is notable less for its food than for its casual use of anti‑Irish stereotypes. Dining with a companion she calls “The Flâneur” (described as “three‑quarters Irish”), she peppered the piece with jibes portraying the Irish as habitual drinkers — noting “jolly green bottles” on tables and quipping about livers — and praising the return of lunchtime drinking among younger diners. She reduced Irish cuisine to soda bread and colcannon, fretted about fiddle music as a potential soundtrack, yet also admitted surprise at a “confident, modern room,” and conceded that, while she hates people who talk about “having the craic,” the restaurant is a good place to find it. The column revived earlier examples of her anti‑Irish commentary from the 1980s and 2000s, prompting readers to question the paper’s editorial choices; rumour suggests this may be her second and final ES Magazine turn, and many hope for a different tone from the next permanent reviewer." - Adam Coghlan
Lawrence H.
Olga M.
Nico P.
Roberto P.
Johannes K.
Aigerim A.
Siobhan F.
Kavita A.