Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6
Where to Dine
in Moscow
Russia's culinary traditions run
from the daylong, table-crushing feasts of
the 19th-century aristocracy to the cabbage
soup and potatoes on which generations of
ordinary Russians were raised. In today's
Moscow you can find food to satisfy any
palate, in marked contrast to the decades of
Soviet shortages. The city's dining scene has
evolved much faster than its hotel scene,
fortunately, and there are now restaurants
to suit any pocketbook or craving—and at
any time of day or night. Moscow seems to
have more 24-hour restaurants than any-
where in Europe. The farther out of the
center you venture, the more limited your
overall choices, though that, too, is chang-
ing fast. All restaurants listed here offer
menus in English unless noted.
Restaurants generally serve continuously
from lunch through dinner, and few are
open before noon. Though reliable Ameri-
can and European restaurants proliferate,
try some that specialize in Russian or fusion
Russian-European cuisine. An even better
idea is to sample the cuisines from other
countries in the neighborhood that you're
much less likely to find at home: the Cau-
casus Mountains spices of Georgia, Azer-
baijan, and Armenia; or the central Asian
plov (a rice pilaf dish, usually with raisins,
spices, and beef or lamb) of Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan. These cuisines have worked their
way into Russian cooking over the centu-
ries, and they boast a much richer selection
of fruits, vegetables, and spices than Russia's
cold climate can produce.
Russians themselves, who can get tradi-
tional pelmeni (meat ravioli) and buttery rye
bliny (crepelike pancakes) at home, seem to
prefer French or Japanese food when they
eat out. Sushi in particular has experienced
a boom in recent years that is rather discon-
certing for such a landlocked city.
Top-end hotels offer elaborate, all-you-
can-eat Sunday brunches, replete with cav-
iar and Russian delicacies as well as an
abundance of standard breakfast foods, sal-
ads, meats, and mouthwatering desserts.
While not cheap, they're a worthwhile
splurge on a bad-weather day for the atmo-
sphere and thoroughly satisfying food.
These hotels often offer pleasant afternoon
tea service, good for an elegant pick-me-up
that won't cost nearly as much as a meal.
International chain restaurants, hotel
restaurants, and those in the top price
categories all have nonsmoking sections;
elsewhere it's hit-or-miss. The trend for
nonsmoking sections is catching on fast,
so call in advance to check on this if smoke
is a major issue for you.
Menu prices can be confusing, since
they're often pegged to either the dollar or
the euro. Prices listed here are in rubles,
since when the check comes you'll have to
pay in rubles at the current exchange rate.
See the “Currency Confusion” box on
p. 96 for a fuller explanation. Credit cards
are catching on quickly but are rarely
accepted in small or inexpensive cafes.
Restaurants are spread out around
town, but a few streets have a high concen-
tration of options for various wallet sizes
any time of day: Arbat Street, Nikolskaya
Ulitsa, and the upper end of Tverskaya are
sure bets for hungry travelers.
For a history of Russian dining tradi-
tions and descriptions of typical dishes, see
“Food & Drink” in chapter 2; for a glos-
sary of menu terms, see chapter 19.
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