Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
131
what most Georgians seem to do). The restaurant has another location on the Arbat,
which is more convenient but is gaudier and less pleasant and cozy.
12/1 Ostozhenka.
&
495/695-0401.
Main courses 400-700 rubles. MC, V. Daily noon-midnight. Metro:
Kropotkinskaya.
Parizhsk
RUSSIAN/FRENCH Its name is a Russified version of the word
“Paris,” and its cuisine is a Russified version of familiar and nourishing French fare. The
dark woods of the furniture contrast with the playful light fixtures, and the atmosphere
is laid-back. It attracts local journalists and graduate students, as well as anyone looking
for a good meal around the clock, though tourists rarely venture in. The
confit de canard
in cherry sauce is a good choice, and the crème brûlée is divine. Russian beer competes
with French wines on the menu, both reasonably priced. Parizhsk is open around the
clock, which attracts some of the post-party crowd in the wee hours, and makes it a safe
and friendly place to head if jet lag has you discombobulated.
13 Zubovsky Bulvar, building 2.
&
499/255-2912.
www.parizhsk.ru. Main courses 300-500 rubles. AE,
MC, V. Daily 24 hr. Metro: Park Kultury.
INEXPENSIVE
Mama Zoya
GEORGIAN The family of Mama Zoya started with a rudimentary
cafe, then expanded to an out-of-the-way cellar restaurant, and now boasts a multistory
boat-restaurant moored along the Moscow River across from Gorky Park. The latest
location is its most accessible and successful. This is an atmospheric and decently priced
way to sample the rich and underappreciated pleasures of Georgian cuisine. The grilled
lamb—cubed and skewered, ground and skewered, or grilled by the leg—is a specialty,
and it's divine. Also try
adzhapsandal,
an eggplant-and-tomato-based ragout; or
pkhali,
spinach, garlic, and walnuts ground to a rich paste. Ignore the weird decor of gnomes,
palms, and mannequins, and look out at the river instead.
Mama Zoya on the Water at 16d Frunzenskaya Naberezhnya.
&
499/242-8550.
Main courses 330-1,000
rubles. No credit cards. Daily noon-11pm. Metro: Frunzenskaya. Another restaurant at 29/1
&
495/729-
4181.
Mon-Sat 11am-midnight. Metro: Taganskaya.
6
7
BEYOND THE GARDEN RING
EXPENSIVE
Carre Blanc
FRENCH Chic and delicious, this restaurant is a perfect marriage
of French cuisine and a Russian setting. Rather off the beaten track, it's an excellent
choice for an evening splurge or a languorous summer brunch. The main dining hall of
this 18th-century mansion is sparsely elegant, the adjoining piano/jazz bar has a sleek
design, and the brasserie in back is an upscale version of laid-back, offering a menu
similar to the one in the main hall but at discounted prices. Opt for the summer terrace
when the weather is fine. The oysters and other seafood, flown in daily, are a house spe-
cialty, though if you come from a seaside hometown it might seem silly to order seafood
in landlocked Moscow. Instead, try the foie gras with fennel or the traditional but excel-
lent veal. The wine list is predictably good, as is the sommelier.
19/2 Seleznyovskaya.
&
495/258-4403.
www.carreblanc.ru. Reservations recommended. Main courses
900-1,500 rubles. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11am-11pm. Metro: Novoslobodskaya.
