Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
126
range from local office workers to women stopping in after a day at the salon. The man-
sion is on bustling Myasnitskaya Street, but the cafe is set back from the road; enter
through the courtyard.
37 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, building 3.
&
495/207-4212.
www.aristokrat-restoran.ru. Main courses 500-
1,000 rubles. MC, V. Daily 10am-midnight. Metro: Chistiye Prudy.
Expeditsiya
ARCTIC One of Moscow's stranger culinary experiences, this restau-
rant offers recipes collected from Arctic tribes during expeditions to Russia's Far North.
The food is hit-or-miss, but the decor and inventiveness of the restaurant's creators make
it an unforgettable stop on any Moscow tour. A helicopter used in Arctic expeditions
hangs in the central hall, and a river runs under the glass floor. Clientele and staff are
awfully haughty for a place with such a rugged theme. Reindeer and trout feature
prominently on the menu. And if you really want to experience extremes, there's a steam
bath
(banya)
downstairs.
6 Pevchevsky Pereulok.
&
495/775-6075.
www.expedicia.ru. Main courses from 1,500 rubles; business
lunch 500 rubles. MC, V. Daily noon until the last guest leaves. Metro: Kitai-Gorod.
Kitezh
RUSSIAN From the pre-revolutionary Russian alphabet used on the
menu to the restaurant's name (a mythical city that would disappear when enemies
approached), Kitezh sees its purpose as upholding tradition and legend. If you have just
one real Russian meal in Moscow, make it here. The restaurant is poised in a stone base-
ment that re-creates a 17th-century farmhouse atmosphere, across from a 14th-century
monastery on a quiet stretch of historic Petrovka Street, a great district for a post-meal
stroll. Allow a couple of hours to savor the large portions and to digest the various
courses. Sauces are rich, divine, and heavy. This is one of the few Russian restaurants that
does justice to beef stroganoff, which despite its Russian roots is more common outside
Russia. The pikeperch is expertly seasoned and sauced. Desserts include thick, jello-like
kisel,
and light and buttery
bliny
with homemade jam.
23/10 Ulitsa Petrovka.
&
495/650-6685.
www.kitezh-town.ru. Reservations recommended. Main
courses 600-1,200 rubles. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-midnight. Metro: Kuznetsky Most.
6
Noah's Ark
(Noyev Kovcheg) ARMENIAN The staff at Noah's Ark take responsibil-
ity for your pleasure during the several hours required for a meal here. Each course is dis-
cussed with the waiter before the order is made; and each must be accompanied by the
appropriate spirit—preferably Armenian brandy (which they call
konyak
). Nestled in one of
the steep, zigzag lanes of the Ukrainian Quarter, the restaurant can be hard to find; however,
it's worth the exploration of this quiet and oft-ignored neighborhood in Moscow's historic
center. The atmosphere gets pretentious on weekend nights, as rich Armenian and Russian
executives try to outdo each other by ordering the most expensive items on the menu. The
meza,
or appetizers, incorporate the spices and fruits of the Caucasus Mountain region, with
an emphasis on cilantro, apricots, and pomegranates. The
dolma,
grape leaves stuffed with
lamb and rice, are succulent. The plain roast lamb is better than the cubed version.
9 Maly Ivanovsky Pereulok.
&
495/917-0717.
www.noevkovcheg.ru. Reservations recommended for
dinner. Main courses 600-800 rubles; business lunch 600 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon until the last
customer leaves. Metro: Kitai-Gorod.
MODERATE
Na Melnitse
(On the Windmill) RUSSIAN Na Melnitse transports you from the
clogged traffic of the Boulevard Ring outdoors to a bucolic farmyard centered around a
