Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
241
5
LOWER NEVSKY PROSPEKT UP
TO SMOLNY CATHEDRAL
EXPENSIVE
Bagration
GEORGIAN This small, sleek hall is one of the nicest dining options
in this gradually reviving neighborhood. The hall centers around an open grill sizzling
with lamb kebabs and succulent spiced sausages. The fare is largely Georgian, with some
Azerbaijani and Uzbek specialties available, such as regional variations on lamb-rice pilaf.
The tasteful, silvery setting includes creative wine displays and Caucasus Mountain
sabers mounted on the walls. The extensive selection of Georgian wines is worth sam-
pling instead of the overpriced French offerings. Georgians often accompany meat with
heavy, sweet wines, so if you'd prefer something else, make that clear to the server. Cus-
tomers include neighbors stopping in for a quick
khachapuri
(a sort of sauceless, meatless
pizza with a delicious mélange of Georgian cheeses), nouveau riche Georgians, and a few
St. Petersburg-based Westerners.
2 Alexander Nevsky Sq.
&
812/333-2260.
Reservations suggested. Main courses 600-1,000 rubles. MC,
V. Daily noon-midnight. Metro: Ploschad Alexandra Nevskogo.
MODERATE
Black Cat, White Cat
(Chornaya Koshka, Bely Kot) SERBIAN/RUSSIAN This
is a top choice for lunch or dinner in the once-neglected neighborhood around Cherny-
shevskaya metro station, which now boasts numerous antiques stores and historic build-
ings undergoing long-overdue renovations. Named after a Serbian film that won a cult
following in Russia, the restaurant offers cuisine with a Serbian focus as well as plenty of
Russian and international standards. Tasty roasted meats are grilled on a spit in the
middle of the hall. You can also sample rice-based salads and tangy sausages. At night the
understated black-and-white hall turns disco, the black lights go on, and you can no
longer tell what color your stuffed tomatoes are.
13/15 Ulitsa Pestelya.
&
812/579-7430.
Main courses 250-900 rubles. MC, V. Daily noon-11:30pm.
Metro: Chernyshevskaya.
Kavkaz Bar
GEORGIAN For expats and visitors, this is St. Petersburg's most
popular spot to sample cuisine from the former Soviet state of Georgia, which features
Caucasus Mountain spices and fruits not usually found in Russian cooking. Cozy and
tastefully decorated with Georgian pottery and tapestries, the restaurant is just a block
north of Nevsky but the atmosphere is relaxed. Garlic is used liberally, so if you'd prefer
a dish without it, be sure to ask. Try the enormous
khinkali,
spiced meat dumplings
you're supposed to eat with your hands; the tandoor-style chicken (chicken
tabaka
); or
the eggplant slices slathered in walnut-garlic paste. Meat dishes come with
tkemali,
a
sweet and spicy sauce made from Georgian sour plums, plus you get stalks of fresh cilan-
tro, dill, and lemony
cheremsha
to munch on. The food is reasonably priced, but the
wines, mostly Georgian and French, cost more than they should. If you want to try
Georgian wine, stick with the dry reds. Don't be turned off by Kavkaz's cheesy ads in the
local magazines and brochures found at most hotels.
18 Karavannaya Ulitsa.
&
812/312-1665.
www.kavkazbar.ru. Main courses 300-3,000 rubles. MC, V.
Daily 11am-1am. Metro: Mayakovskaya.
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