Page 61 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - St. Petersburg

Russian Restaurants ❮❮ 59

Interior of Russian Vodka Room No. 1
Russian Vodka Room
7 Europe. The exquisite surroundings
No. 1
are steeped in history – Hitler, grossly
MAP B4 • Konnog vardeyskiy bulvar 4 underestimating Russian resilience, is
• 570 6420/945 0890 • Open noon– said to have planned his victory bash
midnight • ₽₽ in the Winter Gardens here following
The name of this place says it all. the fall of Leningrad (see p76).
Authentic Russian dishes, such as
L’Europe
ukha and blinis (see p56), feature on 0
the menu, along with a variety of Located with in the sump tuous
pickles traditionally eaten with Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, this
vodka, such as salted cabbage, Art Deco marvel is one of the city’s
gherkins and pickled mushrooms. top spots for people-watching and
The restaurant serves 213 different sampling some of the best food in
types of vodka, and there is even an town. The house special – truffle-
on-site vodka museum. scented scrambled egg topped with
caviar set within an empty eggshell –
Palkin
8 is a decadent classic (see p70).
Founded in 1785, Palkin has
long been the haunt of some of the
city’s finest writers, including
Dostoevsky and Gogol (see p40).
Superb, traditional “Im perial Russia”
cuisine – venison dumplings with
sour cream, for example – shares
the menu with more modern,
cosmopolitan creations. The service
is impeccable, and the restaurant is
also home to a permanent display
of local art (see p70).
Astoria Café
9
Located in the luxurious
Astoria Hotel, Astoria Café offers
top-quality international and Russian
cuisine, including imaginative black
and red caviar dishes to rival those
found at the Belmond Grand Hotel The opulent dining room at L’Europe
For a key to restaurant price ranges see p70

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