Breakfast at Probka

The flagship restaurant in Aram Mnatsakanov's family of projects. The concept is classic Italian cuisine, executed by chef Denis Savoteev. Dishes are made from traditional recipes that the team carefully collected on their travels across Italy, with some ingredients brought to Moscow directly from there. The pizza comes out airy thanks to a special dough that's 80% water, and the pasta here is made fresh daily, exclusively from Italian flour. 

The spacious dining room has tables for two as well as space for larger groups. The interior is simple but elegant: an open kitchen, light-colored tables, black chairs, big windows, plates with autographs on the walls. I really love this place — it's among my top spots for consistent quality of service and food. But this time, something clearly went wrong. Saturday started with a late breakfast (some items, by the way, are available until 16:00) in an intimate, peaceful atmosphere, with views of Tsvetnoy Boulevard. The waiter was attentive and helpful, checking the courses at the right time. 

What did I try?

— Classic croissant with orange jam, 450₽ — overpriced, especially once you break down a freshly baked croissant into butter and dough. A dry, overrated version with a dehydrated edge that crumbled all over the table. Either not fresh or poorly made, even though it's baked on site. No complaints about the jam and butter, though — excellent. 
— Scramble with black truffle and taleggio cheese, 1190₽ — A great base of delicate scramble and a generous helping of truffle. Served with a disappointingly poor-quality brioche that ruins the impression. 

— Syrniki with farm sour cream,  470₽ — the only dish that saved the breakfast. A juicy curd texture paired with sour cream, I recommend it.

Overall impression

Just as reliable a choice as Probka is for dinner, it's just as disappointing for breakfast. A warm, classic restaurant atmosphere you want to come back to, but paired with disheartening quality across a third of the morning menu. The service, as usual, deserves praise: attentive follow-up and care for a guest's mood soured by a bad croissant. That croissant, by the way, didn't end up on the final bill.