Dinner at St. Petersburg Restaurant Veter

A buzzed-about St. Petersburg project by Anton Pinsky, opened together with Ksenia Sobchak and chef Vladimir Chistyakov. I visited the restaurant aboard the "Flying Dutchman" back in summer — one of the place's main calling cards is the gorgeous panoramic view of the Neva and St. Petersburg's landmarks. In winter, without the boats around, it loses some of its summer version's color, though only slightly. By St. Petersburg standards, the interior stands out for its scale and lavish detail: pleasant warm tones, oak veneer finishing, textured furniture, plenty of greenery on the tables — white tablecloths. Vladimir Chistyakov's menu offers a symbiosis of Russian and French cuisine: beef pelmeni, filet mignon, seafood cabbage rolls, tomato carpaccio. Dinner can be rounded out with a glass of wine — the wine list includes selections from Russia and France. On a Tuesday, after 20:00, there were very few people. Clearly an upscale restaurant like this draws crowds in summer, or at least on weekends. 

What did I try?

— Gratin, sprats, pike caviar, 680₽ — I don't know why it took so long to wait for a cold gratin that was clearly made ahead of time rather than fresh off the stove. Do I need to add anything about the missing flavor and the impression already ruined by the first dish? 
— Cabernet Franc Tresos De Loire, 1400₽
— Veal tongue, horseradish sauce, vegetables, 980₽ — a substantial portion, served with lettuce leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a generous cap of parmesan on top. At its core is a horseradish sauce that nicely sets off the meticulously  prepared veal tongue. A quality adaptation of classic Russian cuisine. I confidently recommend it. 

— Fish soup, vongole, tomatoes, 850₽ — a rich fish broth with tomato juice and seafood. A strange combination, more like a failed attempt to break out of the classic ukha mold. It looks unappetizing from the start, and the taste buds confirmed that impression. 

— Beef pelmeni, morels, mushroom broth, 820₽ — 
A winter guilty pleasure for someone who's just come in from the St. Petersburg frost. 

— Bird cherry cake with cherry, 650₽ — a mandatory part of dinner and a dessert it would be a sin to skip. 

Overall impression

Veter is a luxury restaurant for a special occasion. Decent service, though be ready for the most expensive items to be pitched to you first. The crowd varies — I had to sit through a neighboring table's local influencer loudly bragging about knowing Ksenia Anatolyevna personally and calling the restaurant mediocre. The cold gratin, like the poor soup, stayed on the bill. The score of 7 rests purely on summer memories.