Despite having access to two massive rivers, Nizhny Novgorod does not really have a lot of “on the go” spots for fish-centric dishes. There is a lot of seafood going around, but most is consumed at home, or at decent restaurants. As some of my readers may know by now, I feel more comfortable eating at more local and smaller establishments, with a focus on authenticity and freshness rather than being bigger and posher. Unfortunately, when it comes to enjoying some fish in this city, one is more or less required to sit down in a decent place for a dinner. There are of course a few alternatives out there that are still good to keep in mind, especially if you are a pescetarian. Let us go over three different spots, all with their own take on appropriating fish for a simpler, almost street food like, experience.
Vkusno i Tochka
It goes without saying that Vkusno i Tochka has a fish burger on its menu. This is not something surprising given that all McDonalds around the world (to my knowledge) offer them. The question is, is it any good? Well, it is not bad. It is not slimy, nor is it too fatty. Its bun is soft, the cheese is good, and the tartar sauce is awesome. With that being said, it is not particularly cheap and a menu of this bad boy with two patties will set you back by a hefty sum, enough to get you a decent business lunch elsewhere in town. It is a good option for when you are out with your friends, and do not want to eat the other “tasty” options on the menu. I would almost always pay a little bit more and get the shrimp roll instead, but each to their own.
Subway
We all heard the news, the rumours, the gossip… Is Subway’s tuna, really tuna? And if it is not tuna, then what even is it? Well, I do not know the answers to any of these questions. What I know is that I have been eating at Subway for a while now, and tuna has been a rather “go to” choice of mine. It is just always so saucy and tasty. Even if the particular Subway you go to does not have one of those more “generous” servers, you make sure that your sub will remain juicy and thus edible if you pick the tuna option. I am happy to let you know that tuna here tastes the same as it does elsewhere, regardless of whatever meat it may really be… Jokes aside, Russian Subway goes a bit further in the seafood department and actually offers two more seafood-oriented menu items. There is the salmon and cream cheese option, which gets you some fresh salmon slices with a healthy serving of cream cheese. If you really want to go all in, there is also a “seafood” option, which appears to be a mix of crab meat with some type of white fish. I for one did not try these other and frankly a bit expensive option. I am quite happy ordering my tuna sandwich with extra fried onions and non-fried onions. And who can go wrong with some corn in there, am I right?
Pita – https://yandex.com/maps/-/CCUG6ZTWPB
Let us end this short list with a bang! Pita is by far the best place in town if you want to enjoy a decent fish sandwich. First of all, they make their own pita, fresh, after you order your food. They use a whole mackerel that they char a bit for that extra umami. Speaking of umami, they use what I think is a mix of soy sauce and pomegranate molasses as a dressing for the fish filet and top it all with a tasty and fresh selection of veggies. Crispy bread, tasty and juicy fish, fresh vegetables, excellent sauce… What else can one want from a sandwich? It is quite massive too and comes at only 240 roubles as of the writing of this article. In short, it is a bargain, one that no one should skip when they visit Nizhny. Service too is excellent, friendly, and fast. It most certainly is not a quick “fast food” spot as well, so compared to the previous two options you can definitely go here with a more “refined” group of friends. Just give them a shot, you will not be disappointed.
