Scandinavia restaurant – one of Moscow’s top places where expats have been socializing since the early 1990s.

I rate it:

Where I found the love of my life.

 

See also: Belyashi

365 Dishes rated

This one is definitely not about typical Russian dishes. What I am coming up with today are a few items that I liked once and that since then have been a mandatory part of every of my visits to Moscow.

There is Pelle Janssen which sounds Scandinavian. And, indeed, it is. There is a trendy and slightly expensive restaurant on Tverskaya Street, close to Pushkinskaya metro station, called “Scandinavia” where I met my wife for the first time back in 1997. It was one of the first places where the Moscow-based expat community used to meet for lunch or dinner. Other such places in the early-mid 1990s were “American Grill Bar” on Mayakovskaya metro station or “T.G.I. Friday” just vis-á-vis. The owners of “Scandinavia” are Swedish and they also own the famous “Night Flight” night club two blocks further down Tverskaya. The menu card is not long, but sophisticated and changes from time to time. Only Pelle Janssen, a fantastic beef carpaccio with toast, diced onion, cream, yolk and caviar, is never missing – for us like the brand core of “Scandinavia” and our must-starter.

The camera I used here was a compact 24 mm fixed-lens Leica X1.

12.9 MP Leica X1

As I am a big eater of minced meat in any form and shape, Lyulya Kebab is exactly to my taste. The origin of this dish is rather the Caucasus region, but it is also part of any standard Russian menu card. Originally, it is made from minced lamb, but you can also have it from pork or chicken. Here I had it in its original form with grilled vegetables and lavash flatbread at Пиво Хауз on Maslovka (Savelovskaya metro station), the place where I meet my old team for a pint of beer when I am in Moscow.

My unbeatable favorite here are mother-in-law’s Syrniki (сырники), a home-made butter-fried pancake from quark, butter, eggs, flour and sugar. You have it best as in my photo – with a dash of sour cream and a teaspoon of wild strawberry jam. Make sure you have booked the gym next day!