House of Jade in Saint Petersburg Reviewed: Lunch on Nekrasova Without Rolls or Excess Pretense

House of Jade opened at the end of December at 37 Nekrasova Street, in the company of familiar Saint Petersburg addresses and with no attempt whatsoever to seem like a special place. Behind the project are Alexander Grokhovsky, Polina Marinesco, Timur Dmitriev, and Mikhail Sokolov — the teams behind two already-running venues. Chef Alexey Trofimov runs the kitchen, Artem Gutko put together the bar, and floor service is overseen by manager Vitaly Dmitrash. The design is by Snob Architects: two floors, warm wood of several species, steel, German bent-plywood chairs, a Cassina sofa, and chairs by Swiss designer Bruno Rey. Ceiling fan blades turn overhead, and the music runs through a vintage Pioneer system and contemporary Bowers & Wilkins acoustics — details you don't notice right away, but ones that set the tone for the whole space.

“We're building this project largely for ourselves. Inside us there was a real pent-up need for a place that's not bohemian, not high-society, but that still doesn't compromise on the quality of its key components” — Alexander Grokhovsky.

The menu is East Asian cuisine, with no attempt to cover the whole map of the world: no roti flatbreads, no poke, no pho. Alexey Trofimov deliberately keeps the geographic frame tight — Canton, Sichuan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan. Wok, robata, wonton and dim sum dough, rice — it all works within one logic. The bar is compact: sake, baijiu, Taiwanese whisky, Asian liqueurs, three highballs on draft, and select teas instead of lemonades. The average check is around 1,600 rubles.

What did we try?

Salad with fennel root, cucumber, and shrimp — 590 ₽. A light, refreshing start: good shrimp, crisp cucumber, a dressing with a distinct character. Exactly what's needed for a starter — no unnecessary work with the fork.

Mushroom broth with chicken wontons — 590 ₽. A rich broth with plenty of herbs — no questions about depth of flavor. The wontons had lost a bit of shape by the time they were served, and there was slightly more salt than one would like. A solid dish, but not without its notes.

Smashed cucumbers — 490 ₽. Crunchy, with a light spiciness, soy sauce, sesame, cilantro, red onion, and cashews. A tasty starter, but it took about fifteen minutes to arrive — we were warned in advance, though why it took so long remained unclear.

Taipei rice with charcoal-grilled beef steak — 850 ₽. Fluffy rice with good seasoning, the egg yolk on top feels natural. We ordered the steak medium rare; it arrived closer to medium — a small discrepancy, but at this price point the dish still works.

House of Jade is a place that isn't trying to make an impression, and that's exactly why it does. Service here is unfussy: the staff know the menu, water is free, and they come to the table with a purpose. A QR code with dish descriptions is a small thing, but a handy one. There's a nuance with the kitchen: it's small, so most dishes go out as they're ready rather than strictly by course. They warn you about this upfront — which is honest, though it does throw off the pacing of a lunch a little. We were only asked for feedback about the steak — a bit more attention to the table overall wouldn't hurt.

Even so, the takeaway is clear. Four dishes came in at a reasonable bill, the food is made with understanding, and the space is pleasant without feeling heavy. This Asian bistro on Nekrasova answers a specific need: lunch without fuss, dinner with beer and music, or a party of six that doesn't have to think about logistics. The two floors seat more than a hundred guests, but it never gets loud — the layout lets several parties exist in parallel. A place with its own atmosphere and a clear concept — we're adding it to the guide with confidence.