Saray

Saray is a Lucky Group project where everything answers to a single element: open fire. Coals, the oven and the tandoor set the rhythm of the kitchen rather than just decorate the room. Brand chef Dan Miron built the menu after trips through northern Spain, where he studied the traditions of asador-style restaurants, and added the generosity of a Caucasian feast to that base. The restaurant took over a space on Granatny Lane — a quiet location that sets an evening mood from the start.

It really comes alive in the evening — an intimate atmosphere suited to a long dinner with good company.

The space was designed by Natalia Belonogova of the NB-Studio bureau. The designer drew on the image of old barns — rough wood, weathered surfaces, hides on the benches, shelves with an assortment of finds. Hand-woven wicker lamps and Falconnier glass blocks soften the roughness of the textures. There's a little less restaurant polish here than you'd expect from Lucky Group, and that's exactly what creates the enveloping feeling — as if you're dining not in a restaurant but in a country house where food is taken seriously. The dining room seats 94.

On the plates is straightforward, confident cooking where fire does most of the work. Lamb lyulya is grilled over hot coals, sturgeon is served with green sauce straight off the grill, and focaccia comes with Cantabrian anchovy and sardines. The starters are varied: an Andalusian salad with smoked trout, beef carpaccio with artichoke, tartare with romesco sauce. Lasagna with pecorino and a bitter chocolate dessert with ancho pepper show that the menu isn't limited to the grill. The flavors are clear and uncomplicated — fire and good ingredients speak for themselves.

Behind the bar, head bartender Maxim Gorelik builds the cocktail list around tea and unusual spirits. The Apricot X.O. is mixed with two-year-aged apricot brandy and quince purée, while the Ron Shu Magnolia combines rum, shou pu-erh and sagan-dailya. The wine program is led by sommeliers Dmitry Kipelkin and Nikita Steiner — the focus is on Spain, but unexpected finds turn up too, like a Serbian Pinot Noir by the glass.

Our team rated dinner at Saray 7 out of 10. Saray made our recommendations as a place with bold, if adapted, Caucasian-Mediterranean cuisine cooked over live fire, attentive service, and a space built for long dinners with good company.