If you happen to visit Moscow you must not miss an evening in a Georgian restaurant, which mean good food, excellent wine and a festive atmosphere. Georgians are the festy group of the RUS CIS countries. I went to three different ones which I recommend for different reasons.
Sahli is in the center not far from the Bolshoy Theatre and the area is safe, so you can easily walk. The restaurant itself is classy and warm, the food good and prices acceptable. What do you eat? Typical entrée are pickled vegetables, almond cream, special rolls with aubergines filled with nuts.
Kachapouri are a kind of focaccia covered or filled with cheese or vegatables. A bit heavy but good. Also try Hinkali, steamed ravioli filled with meat and broth to be eaten with your hands. Second course needs to be grilled meat, very often in kebab. I had liver. Really a nice place to have dinner.
The second is Kafek Hincalnaya, which is a chain. A bit less classy but lots of fun. In fact near the end of the dinner a Georgian group goes on stage and all the restaurant stars to sing and dance in the center of the floor. Menu is the same as the previous. I went to the branch near Bolshoy.
Third one is a trendy sport ideal for a nice lunch. It offers different rooms, more formal or simpler, but all of them trendy and nice. The food is European cuisine or once again Georgian (yes, Russian love Italian food first, Georgian second)
One suggestion for the hotel? Hotel Marriot Aurora, good and clean rooms, acceptable rates (at least for Moscow) and pefect position near Bolshoy, Red Square and shopping area, plus a metro station at 5 minutes walk.
Restaurant Sahli – Moscow, Bolshoy Karetniy pereulok, 6/1
www.sahli.ru/en
Phone.: +74956994503
Kafek Hinkanaya Tel. +74952761500 www.kafekhinkaya.ru
Kafe Mart www.cafemart.ru Tel.+74952313661