Bist: Dinner Review

The St. Petersburg project by the italy&co team opened on Vasilyevsky Island in March of this year. The name encodes an abbreviation of Bistecca alla Fiorentina — grilled beef steak, translated from Italian. It's one of the signature dishes of the Tuscany region. Hence the concept, which brings together meat and Italian culture. The menu, however, has more than just meat dishes — you'll also find classic Italy: arancini, pasta, carpaccio. Three chefs work on it at once: Evgeny Engelke (Italy, Salone pasta&bar) handles the concept, Denis Lukyanenko (Salone pasta&bar) is in charge of pasta and other Italian dishes, and Artem Popov (HITCH) is responsible for the quality of the meat. Special attention went into the cocktail and bar menus: wines are brought in from Italy, France, and Spain, and the cocktails include both classics and signature creations. I stopped by the restaurant on a Sunday, around 17:00, and it was fully seated, which isn't surprising.

Interior 

An Italian atmosphere reigns in the interior too. Original frescoes and Tiffany-technique stained glass were created specifically for the restaurant. Lavish chandeliers hang from the ceilings, green harmoniously rounds out the warm color palette, and dim lighting builds an intimate mood. Art plays its part too — paintings by local artists, which the Bist team is collecting into its own collection, hang on the walls. The space is split into two rooms; you can settle at a table in either one, or at the interactive bar counter.

What did I try?

— Eggplant alla parmigiana, 550₽. Baked in slices with parmigiano and mozzarella. Reminded me of lasagna, including in richness.

 
— Chicken broth, 390₽. It really lacked depth of flavor. My guess is it's down to overdried, too-thinly-sliced chicken. 
— Halibut with beurre blanc sauce and mashed potatoes, 990₽. The fish is served on a bed of purée with a creamy sauce made from butter and white wine. The texture is very delicate. 
— Pasta al pomodoro, 550₽. The noodles, similar to egg pasta, I liked — they were cooked beautifully, but the sauce let it down. It seemed to be made mostly with onion rather than anything resembling pomodoro. It got taken off the bill.
— Tiramisu with coffee baba, 490₽. The signature dessert is assembled on the plate right in front of you: two little cakes, similar to rum baba, soaked in coffee, are laid out. The sauce follows a traditional Italian recipe. A contrasting flavor combination: moderately sweet cream and the bitter edge of strong coffee. You can happily order it for two.

Overall impression 

I didn't like the interaction with the restaurant's staff. Maybe I got especially "lucky," or maybe the waiter just wasn't in the mood to engage with guests. They couldn't properly present the dishes, and couldn't even give a clear answer to what was in them. It all came down to a plate hastily left on the table and a quick switch to something else. Even so, Bist still makes it into our restaurant guide, though the service needs work.