When in Kazan, eat like the locals do. Since the beginning of the World Cup, football fans have gobbled up some 21,000 echpochmaks in Kazan alone, the Tatarstan tourism department has said.
Shaped like a triangle and filled with mushrooms, potatoes and spices, echpochmaks are the traditional pastries of Tatarstan, a Russian republic of which host city Kazan is the capital.
In the first 20 days of the tournament, 21,125 echpochmaks have been sold in the city and washed down with 87,926 liters of beer, the tourism department said in an online report.
One café reported having served more than 57,674 khinkali — Georgian dumplings — and 5,768 khachapuri — Georgian cheese-stuffed bread —over the course of the tournament.
The report also described foreign fans as “cheerful guests who created a friendly atmosphere and unforgettable impressions,” and who employed the word spasibo generously.
Colombians, who were in town for their match against Poland, left the biggest mark. After dining in a local restaurant they serenaded the chef in gratitude, the report said.
Only a week into the tournament, some bars and restaurants in Moscow warned they were already running low on beer.
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