Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Never mind the dubious humour in dressing waitresses as Mao's soldiers, this is the place to
try outstanding Cantonese fare in an atmosphere echoing that of the Opium Wars decadence.
A true culinary magician, the Chinese chef turns any ingredient - from hog paw to octopus
to simple milk - into mouth-watering delicacies.
The cheapish, but sumptuous 'fried milk' dessert is to die for.
UKRAINIAN
ODESSA-MAMA
noon-midnight; Chistye Prudy)
Come here to celebrate Odessa, affectionately called 'mama' by the residents of this port
city. What mama cooks is a wild fusion of Jewish, Ukrainian and Balkan foods, with a
strong emphasis on Black Sea fish. It's like island hopping - from
forshmak
(Jewish herring
pate) to Ukrainian borsch and eventually to fried Odessa gobies.
If seafood is not your thing, try Ukrainian
varenyky
dumplings or Greek meatballs. Also,
worth checking out - for cultural as much as gastronomical reasons - are
makarony po-flot-
ski
(navy-style pasta), a classic Soviet staple, filling locals with nostalgia for the good old
times.
INDIAN
MOSCOW-DELHI
8-925-193 1916; per Khokhlovsky 7; set meal R1000;
5-11.30pm;
;
Kitay-Gorod)
Finding yourself in an Indian village shack complete with a tandoori oven after searching
for this poorly marked place in a decrepit mews is part of the fun, especially when it's -25°C
outside. The thali meal, cooked by an Indian chef who stocks up on spices in Delhi and
doesn't use any electric appliances, is of course the other part.
To find Moscow-Delhi, enter the graffiti-covered courtyard and look for a tiny passage
between two single-storey buildings. The place is right behind it. Bookings are essential.
UZBEK
SHCHERBET
Sitting amid plush pillows and woven tapestries, you'll feel like a sheik in this extravagantly
decorated eatery. Feast on
plov
(rice mixed with lamb and vegetables), shashlyk and other
Uzbek specialities. And of course, it wouldn't be Moscow if they didn't also offer hookahs
and an evening belly-dance show.
RUSSIAN
EXPEDITION
