Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
122
Impressions
Already Olga's hand was gripping
the urn of perfumed tea, and tipping
Into the cups its darkling stream;
Meanwhile a hallboy handed cream.
-Alexander Pushkin describing a delicate romantic
moment in his epic poem
Eugene Onegin
well-lit cafe on the first floor, a more formal dining room on the second, and a decadent
and breezy summer cafe on the top. The menu weighs a ton—both the Russian and
English versions—and the script is so flowery as to be unreadable at times. Pretty much
anything listed is bound to be successful, though standouts are
ukha,
a creamy, spiced
fish soup that manages to be both light and filling; and grilled sterlet with forest mush-
rooms. Prices are high—you're paying for the faux-pre-revolutionary atmosphere and
top-quality service as well as the food. The vodka selection is impressive and impressively
priced, and the hot chocolate and dessert selections offer good, low-budget options.
Nonsmoking floor available.
26a Tverskoi Bulvar.
&
495/739-0033.
www.cafe-pushkin.ru. Reservations required for restaurant and
summer terrace. Main courses 1,000-2,500 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. 1st floor daily 24 hr., top floors daily
noon-midnight. Metro: Pushkinskaya.
6
Pavilion at Patriarshy
RUSSIAN/INTERNATIONAL This picturesque pavil-
ion overlooking Patriarch's Ponds has gone through several lives in recent years, but the
latest incarnation looks to be its most successful. Its spacious, beige-themed main hall is
ringed by a balcony hung with pop-art portraits and filled with greenery to make it feel
summery and outdoorsy year-round. The restaurant has made it on the circuit of Mos-
cow's young, hip professionals, who seem to expect sushi on any menu. The pavilion
complies, but the rest of its repertoire is more intriguing. Try the white mushroom soup
served with a quarter-loaf of rich, brown caraway-flavored bread; the cottage cheese
tartlets
(syrniki);
or the borscht with duck breast. Skip the sushi.
7 Bolshoi Patriarshy Pereulok, building 1 (on the grounds of Patriarch's Ponds park).
&
495/697-5110.
Main courses 1,500-2,500 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 24 hr. Metro: Mayakovskaya.
Turandot
INTERNATIONAL Come here if you need a break from the crush
of crowded public transport and want to feel like a pampered, refined aristocrat. Consid-
ered by many as Moscow's most intricately decorated restaurant, Turandot opened
recently next door to Café Pushkin; both are owned by Andrei Dellos. Just as the Café
Pushkin aims at restoring the feel of a 19th-century Russian noble mansion, Turandot
tries to imitate the atmosphere of an 18th-century French rococo palace, complete with
carved ceilings, painted wall panels, opulent chandeliers, and museum china. All the
decor was meticulously created by hand to create what feels like a unique dining experi-
ence. The cuisine is an equally intricate fusion of Chinese and Japanese traditions with
modern Russian and international trends. Greens, fish, and meat are always fresh and
delectable, and the menu is always changing.
26/5 Tverskoi Bulvar.
&
495/739-0011.
www.turandotpalace.ru/en. Reservations recommended. Main
courses 1,200-2,000 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-midnight. Metro: Pushkinskaya.
