Culinary capital: St. Where to eat and drink in St. Petersburg

Your humble gossip column editor, who doesn’t have the warmest memories of the northern capital, is in St. Petersburg for the weekend. He thought that going to St. Petersburg was not the best decision. But as they say, friendship is important in any journey. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the people or organizations you plan to visit. The latter turned out to be especially important, because it was they who nourished the old Leningrad with a special atmosphere or mood (in the currently fashionable parlance). Here a Russian fairy tale meets modern reality, St. A Mediterranean siesta with a St. Petersburg ball and wow effects with an ascetic presentation. And it took me less than 72 hours to fall in love with him.

Of course, you can surrender to luck without imagination and go to the main historical sights – Peterhof, Tsarskoe Selo, Hermitage – and grab a big queue everywhere.

Or you can use our mini guide to the coolest establishments and create your own route to explore the Northern capital from restaurant to bar and then to the next bar.

Moreover, St. The restaurant industry in St. Petersburg is developing more actively than in Moscow.

For a fairy tale – at Cafe Claret

To carefully enter the rhythm of the northern capital (very different from Moscow), head first to Cafe Claret, where brand chef Alexander Bogdanov serves classic European cuisine. But leave the tasting of crayfish and crispy duck for later, immediately ask for the “Fairy Tale Set”, the “pearl” of the facility, where the brand chef acts as writer, director and storyteller. He combined reality with reality; He combined nine pages of a fairy tale he wrote into a set of eight courses in which the story traditionally begins with “once upon a time” and ends with “they lived happily ever after.” Along with the fates of the main characters of the tale, warm memories of childhood await you, treacherously inspired by food. Popular sights and products chosen to accompany the stories will resonate in the memory: The entire palette here consists entirely of flavors close to the Russian heart: Far Eastern crab, porcini mushrooms, fermented baked milk and sea buckthorn. Mushrooms are turned into airy meringue, halibut “hides” under a poppy “blanket”, pickled rejuvenating apples are “bathed” in rivers of caramelized fermented baked milk, and the dough is woven into a pattern that vaguely resembles the lace macrame napkin from grandmother’s sideboard. I recommend that you do not refuse the wine accompaniment to the magnificent set chosen by sommelier Roman Manzhukov. Precise pairing will only highlight the bright flavors of the dishes without getting in the way of the storytelling. You will also try the wine drink that, according to legend, was drunk on the Titanic!

Just remember: the set is available on Wednesdays at 7pm or by prior arrangement (must be ordered 48 hours or more in advance).

Head to Xander bar for a “cocktail carnival”

Then head straight to the ball at the Four Seasons Lion Palace St. Petersburg, where the fairy tale will continue, will be moved to the next level. Xander with bar and fireplace, St. In its spacious rooms with views of Isaac Square and the Alexander Garden, the cocktail menu will play the role of an artifact, while the cocktails will act as a storyteller describing the best atmosphere. pre-revolutionary artillery. And that’s not a way of talking at all. Created to celebrate the hotel’s first decade, the “historic” pub map has three sections titled: “Scene”, “Characters” and “Act”. And to try them all, you will have to participate in ballroom dancing at least four times, because this is the number of cocktails in the last four drinks: “Polonaise”, “Mazurka”, “Waltz” and “Cotillion” ”. However, since we do not have much time, we choose a set of four cocktails called “Carnival”. It includes the “House of the Lion” cocktail, which contains pear notes and is framed by sherry and herbal accents, the “Cleopatra Ilyinichna” cocktail, which contains tea rose and some Italian bitterness, and the “Waltz” cocktail, consisting of cherry, caramel rooibos and port wine. as a specialty beverage business – Complex Negroni cocktail.

For a trip to Italy – in Percorso

In this case, forget about suitcases and long roads, the journey will take place thanks to the flavors of the dishes that will take you to warm Italy with the light presentation of chef Marina Budnikova. Located within the walls of the Four Seasons Lion Palace, Percorso is named after St. Translated as “journey” to St. Petersburg. In addition, from the Xander bar to Percorso it is just a few steps, although it is necessary to “feed” your hunger, as the menu is rich in 50 dishes. It’s not easy to try them all. However, despite the wide selection, the organization has long had successes, so start with them. Try the Battuta Piemontese (veal tartare with Parmesan and anchovy foam), Tartare Di Tonno (yellowfin tuna tartare with capers) and Polpo Alla Griglia (grilled octopus with Sicilian salad and roasted potatoes) with confidence. And we almost forgot about Ravioli Del Plin Faraona e Parmigiano – ravioli with guinea fowl. Don’t think you can’t overdo it, the manti here are so miniature that guests who prefer to restrict themselves in eating often order additional portions. Reason: It is so delicious that there are no restrictions.

For avant-garde cocktails – at Alice Garden

On the example of the Alice Garden, I propose to follow the proven scheme – in the morning go to the restaurant opposite the Kazan Cathedral and start the day with sparkling wine and Moroccan Balejo oysters for a sparkle in your eyes. It is marked with a special stamp confirming the quality of the product. And only then start tasting the bar menu, whose cocktails will certainly be remembered for their magnificent presentation. I recommend ordering a mobile bar station to monitor the drink preparation process. Most importantly, don’t forget to turn on your phone’s camera. However, since you won’t be content with just cocktails, don’t forget the restaurant’s Mediterranean classic, handmade ravioli with shrimp and ricotta. Plus Murmansk salmon fillet with young asparagus, baked leeks, green beans and delicate creamy sauce with red caviar. It even sounds delicious, right?

You won’t even notice that the sun disappears behind the clouds and the day turns into evening, because everything is possible in Through the Looking Glass, where the Alice Garden was designed.

For Emotions – Inner

It’s best to come back to reality and get back to yourself later. The ascetic interior of the new restaurant of the futurist co-owner Alexey Alekseev – Inner will help you with this. According to him, the institution is about the personal, the valuable but invisible. This is also evidenced in the details of the restaurant: table lamps made of frosted textured glass, whose interior was created according to the design of Anton Nechiporenko’s head in the glass blowing workshop at the Stieglitz Academy of Arts and Industry, stands with textured wood and, of course, the main thing, St. Petersburg. A painting made by St. Petersburg artist Veronica Rudyeva-Ryazantseva on the wall of the bakery as a symbol of a hidden but important meaning. All this prepares you to meet the inner world of chef Alexey Alekseev, which he reveals in his dishes. It complements tomato ceviche with notes of kimchi, adds bacon wontons to chicken broth, and allows vanilla baked milk to become a cauliflower gratinated sauce. This is how Alexey makes it clear that the inner world of the chef does not fit into the narrow framework of national cuisines. And accepting the rules of the game, you become more and more immersed in your emotions. A psychotherapy session, no less.

On the eastern tour – in Sintoho

Continuing our gastrotour, we return to Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg, where the Asian restaurant Sintoho is located. Here, the restaurant’s chef Badma Aduceev will take you on a journey through Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong. They were chosen for a reason because the name of the restaurant comes from the initials of these cities. But Singapore seems to have a special place on Sintoho’s menu. How else can you describe the Hong Kong-style sea bass, which is specially prepared for pre-order and whose presentation turns into a show?

Recently, the chef expanded the concept by introducing a new menu of 10 items based on a blend of Chinese flavors. These include 23 types of sashimi, from traditional to special, and eight specialty rolls. But I especially recommend you pay attention to the Omakase Dragon rolls made with foie gras, wagyu, apple and truffle mayonnaise. I’m sure you’ve never tasted such a blend of flavors before. And of course, on to the future bestseller: hot and sour shrimp.

I don’t remember, did I mention that everyone will find something to suit their taste with such a variety of food here?

For memories – at Marius

We are approaching the finish line, completing our journey in the homely atmosphere of the Marius restaurant, so that St. We are sure that we will fall in love with St. Petersburg. But I don’t know what you are more willing to fall in love with; Is it a city that offers you different tastes, or is it the dumplings of a place that can be described in one sentence, “just like my grandmother’s”? And believe me, this is exactly what I hear from my friends’ mouths. But oddly enough, these aren’t the establishment’s most popular dish. Marius’ gastronomic hits include ground beef with Calvados, New York steak, a large piece of home-style pork with potatoes, and mini chebureki with tomato salsa.