Delicatessen

Delicatessen is a project by 4 restaurateurs: V. Lankin, E. Samolyotov, P. Lisyukov and I. Shishkin. It's a moderately refined yet mischievous bar, offering a serious spirits collection and original cuisine. Vyacheslav Lankin runs the bar, and I. Shishkin handles the cooking.

Horse-meat tartare, seared with a clothes iron

The kitchen can't be called classic, since the flavor combinations in the dishes are fairly unusual. The menu changes often, so it never has time to grow stale. The bar's distinctive feature is that horse-meat tartare — though the meat is only lightly seared for a crust, not actually cooked through. Twists on classics are popular here too. There's no printed bar menu; instead, the bartender asks questions to learn the guest's preferences and suggests a drink in response. The dirty martini is a hit among guests.

The café's interior recalls a home setting. The main focus is comfort: a cozy fireplace, understated design, wooden furniture, fresh flowers and a large bar counter. What sets the project apart is that its owners are always on-site, each responsible for their own part. Two of them have already been mentioned, and Evgeny Samolyotov serves as the head waiter, while Pavel Lisyukov greets guests and handles seating.