While I have eaten many delicious meals in Moscow, one of the best parts of my culinary experiences thus far has definitely been the fish we ate on Lake Baikal. Baikal is famous for its fish. The jelly-like golomyanka, who live in the depths of lake, are endemic to Lake Baikal and do not live anywhere else in the world. Up to thirty five percent of their body mass is made up of fatty oil. The fish can endure extreme pressure changes and are found at all depths of the lake. However, since they do not travel in packs, they are extremely difficult to catch. Thus, I did not have the opportunity to taste any golomyanka, which is not a huge problem as we were told that they are extremely difficult to prepare and must be done so properly to avoid health risks.

I did have the opportunity to try the delicious omul, a succulent variety of fish known for its tenderness. We had omul after a delightfully freezing dip into Lake Baikal followed by the warmth of a natural hot spring. It was truly one of most delicious meals I have had the pleasure of eating. We starting with уха (uha), a fish soup made by boiling whole fish with potatoes and onions. Our version was prepared over an open fire by our wonderful guide Evgeni Dmitrievich. We also had roasted omul, prepared by splitting open the fish, gutting them, and placing them on sticks around the fire. Evgeni Dmitrievich told us this fish was to serve as dessert. While at first I was skeptical, the delicious flavor of the fish truly was sweet. Fresh bread roasted to make toast over the open flames was the final touch to an extremely wonderful meal.
I have never even considered myself much of a fan of fish; however, the fish of Baikal will long remain in my memory as a delicious part of Russia’s culinary offerings.
Source: http://baikal.irkutsk.org/animals.htm