Where to Dine in Moscow - Moscow and St. Petersburg - page 117

117

2 AROUND RED SQUARE & THE KREMLIN

VERY EXPENSIVE
Metropol RUSSIAN You may not be able to take your eyes off the swimming
pool-size stained-glass ceiling of the Metropol restaurant long enough to savor the excel-
lent cuisine. That's probably the only drawback, if you can call it that, of the chief res-
taurant in the top-end Hotel Metropol. This historic spot is a great choice if you're
looking for a splurge on a meal while you're in Moscow. The Art Nouveau motifs on the
ceiling are a rousing culmination of the hotel's other design features. The menu is strong
on seafood and Russian specialties such as boiled eggs stuffed with caviar, smoked Baltic
salmon, and sterlet (sturgeon) stew. The veal with bananas, pine nuts, and cranberries is
hardly traditional but is remarkably good. The hall is so large it can feel cavernous if it's
empty, but evenings are usually lively with visiting executives, successful Russians, and
well-to-do tourists. See the hotel listing on p. 100 for more on the Metropol's history.
1/4 Teatralny Proyezd. & 499/270-1061. www.metropol-moscow.ru/ru/restaurants/metropol. Reserva-
tions required for dinner. Main courses from 1,500 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7am-midnight (breakfast
reserved for guests). Metro: Teatralnaya or Ploshchad Revolutsii.

1 Red Square (Krasnaya Ploshchad, 1) RUSSIAN The name says it all. Even
if the food were dismal—which it's not—this would be a worthwhile visit just for the
view on Moscow's main plaza. From the top floor of the National History Museum on
the north side of Red Square, you gaze directly across the cobblestone expanse leading to
St. Basil's Cathedral. The menu is appropriately Russian and traditional, including a re-
creation of the “czar's menu” of a century ago. The emphasis is on fish and appetizers,
and most dishes have a lighter touch than standard Russian restaurant fare. The delicate
koulebiaka is a culinary feat of sturgeon blended with rice, cream, and spices, carefully
baked inside a flaky pastry. The appetizer (zakuski) menu has several versions of fish or
meat in aspic, and vegetarian options such as mushrooms on toast. Sample one of the
home-brewed liqueurs such as kedrach, made with pine nuts—strange but satisfying.
Musicians play traditional Russian stringed instruments some evenings.
1 Red Square (enter through Historical Museum). & 495/692-1016. www.redsquare.ru/english. Reser-
vations recommended. Main courses 600 rubles and up; business lunch 500 rubles. AE, MC, V. Daily
noon-midnight. Metro: Ploshchad Revolutsii or Okhotny Ryad.

6

Finding Vegetarian Food

Although vegetarianism remains a rarity in Russia, vegetarian restaurant-goers
are getting a boost from a surprising source: the revived observance of Russian
Orthodox traditions. The Orthodox calendar requires believers to abstain from
meat and dairy products during several periods throughout the year, most nota-
bly during the 40 days of Lent preceding Orthodox Easter and the 40 days pre-
ceding Orthodox Christmas (Jan 7). Many Russian restaurants offer “Lenten
menus” ( post -no-ye men- yoo ) during these periods, with carefully conceived
variations on their house specialties sans the meat broth and lard. During non-
Lenten periods, feel free to ask the cooks for meatless suggestions.