Dinner at the New Queens on Patriarch's Ponds

Queens is a joint project by Anton Pinsky, Vladimir Chistyakov, and Arkady Novikov, which opened on Malaya Bronnaya, in the former Avocado Queen space. The name nods to the New York neighborhood of the same name, famous for its Middle Eastern restaurants. The restaurant's updated concept is likewise built around Middle Eastern cuisine. Chef Sergey Larionov (ex. Mos, Kochevniki, Yura), who replaced Ilya Buchkin, is behind it. Now Mediterranean motifs have joined the vibrant mix of Middle Eastern and Central Asian dishes:  pasta with seafood and harissa, octopus with matbucha, grilled squid, dorado. I stopped by Queens for lunch on a Thursday — lively and crowded.

Interior

The interior was handled by designer Irina Glik and the team from architectural bureau Geometria (CuttaCutta, Loona, Patriki Cafe). Even though no sweeping changes followed the Avocado Queen era, new details did appear. The walls carry a warm gradient that rounds out the overall concept.

The atmosphere is also shaped by warm wood furniture, leather, and patterned upholstery. Another notable decor element is the pair of huge mirrors topped with crowns, facing each other — for those who like taking selfies.

What did I try?

— Eggplant caviar with chips — a compliment from the restaurant, decent as a starter.
— Roasted pepper cream with pine nuts and raisins, 310₽. I liked the flavor combination and the pleasant texture:  a fresh pairing of nut and raisin, with a gently creamy consistency. The portion is modest, so you'll want to order it again. 

— Fried shrimp, paprika glaze, tomatoes, red onion, 750₽. Instead of five tiger shrimp like in the picture, they brought eight small ones. It didn't spoil the overall impression of the dish. Ripe tomatoes complemented it well and gave it more character on its own.

— Avocado kebab, 610₽. Contents: grilled avocado on a bed of lettuce with green dressing, cucumbers, and feta — flavor combinations that didn't quite make sense to me Questions also came up about the avocado's quality — it was grayish and overly soft. This item probably won't stay on the menu for long. It's nice that the waiters took the feedback and removed the dish from the bill.
— Chocolate sablé, cardamom ganache, kumquat, 530₽. I ordered it for dessert. Overall, I liked it, though I'd still recommend going with the halva-mint candies. 

Overall impression

I think Queens has become better than its predecessor, Avocado Queen. I liked the updated restaurant much more: a clear concept, lively and quick service. On the downside — the ventilation works poorly, so you catch a mix of sharp smells. I hope the team fixes this soon, and it only gets better from here. Even now, the place is deservedly earning its spot in our restaurant guide.