Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
120
EXPENSIVE
Bosco Bar
INTERNATIONAL In any other European city, a plaza like Red
Square would be ringed with sidewalk cafes and other commerce. Not so in Moscow—
until Bosco Bar emerged at the turn of the millennium, at last cracking open the long
facade of the GUM department store that runs nearly the length of Red Square. The cafe
remains the only access to GUM from the square, which enhances its exclusivity. The
cafe is a decadent but oh-so-satisfying way to absorb the atmosphere of Moscow's epicen-
ter, elbow-to-elbow with the people who make modern Moscow tick. Food is flawlessly
prepared but often flimsy and overpriced; this is a better stop for coffee or a sample of
one of the cafe's 20 flavors of ice cream. If you're hungry, try the shrimp and arugula salad
or one of the reasonably priced pastas. The entrance from within GUM is concealed
behind the Bosco Sport store.
3 Red Square.
&
495/627-3703.
www.bosco.ru. Main courses 700-1,500 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily
10am-10pm. Metro: Ploshchad Revolutsii.
Sushi Vyosla
JAPANESE One of the few places to last several years on Moscow's
fierce and fickle sushi bar scene, this restaurant is as hip and fresh as ever. Some of its
pretension has faded with time, fortunately. Plates of ever-fresh and ever-changing sushi,
sashimi, and rolls float around the bar on a continuous river. (
Vyosla
means “oars” in
Russian.) The compact hall is usually full of wealthy Russians talking business or stop-
ping in for a quick bite between shopping sprees. It's not a place for leisurely dining, but
that means you never have to wait long for a seat. Choices change daily, though you can
request standard rolls and sushi combinations from the chefs on the island in the middle
of the “river.” Anything with Baltic Sea eel or scallops is worth sampling.
25 Nikolskaya Ulitsa (entrance from Tretyakovsky Proyezd shopping center).
&
495/937-0521.
Rolls 150
rubles and up. MC, V. Daily noon-midnight. Metro: Lubyanka or Teatralnaya.
6
MODERATE
FAQCafe
INTERNATIONAL This cafe/club/art gallery/performance space
seems to have found the right combination of creative energy, efficient service, and good
food in an excellent location, yet few tourists have discovered it. It's frequented more by
designers, writers, and photographers here to bat about new ideas. Paper and pencils at
each table inspire customers to create while they wait, and the often-amusing results are
posted on the walls. The real action starts after 11pm, with movies, music, and perfor-
mances, but during the day this is an arty, comfortable, and convenient spot for lunch or
a snack. Try the grilled pork with basil, or the curried chicken. They also offer a decent
Caesar salad, pastas, and club sandwiches—and an extensive list of coffees and teas.
9 Gazetny Pereulok, building 2.
&
495/629-0827.
www.faqcafe.ru. Main courses 400-600 rubles. AE,
MC, V. Daily noon-6am. Metro: Okhotny Ryad.
Krem
ITALIAN A good lunch option just a short walk east of the Red Square,
Krem attracts young Russian businesspeople with discriminating palates. The quick,
unobtrusive, and stylish waitstaff blend in with the neat lines of the silver and black
decor, accommodating the rushed lives of Russia's business class. The lunch buffet offers
salads and meats with an Italian bent, plus a few Russian touches like beet-and-herring
salad and rich rye bread (not to be missed). Dinner is largely Northern Italian, with
specialties such as delicately prepared Venetian calves' liver and fresh pastas.
3 Solyanskiy Proyezd.
&
495/623-4902.
Main courses 800 rubles and up. MC, V. Mon-Sat 11am-mid-
night. Metro: Biblioteka Imeni Lenina.
