Georgia on my Mind

Second time:
Starter
We both had Adjapsandali cos it was so good the first time (he had tried mine)
Main Course
I had pork, peppers, potato and other veg stew (not on the website menu) . Very fine taste but the residual gravy at the end was a bit salty for my liking.
He had the "Chakapuli" ( Lamb braised in white wine with tkemali and fresh tarragon ) which he praised highly.
Bottle of Chilean Shiraz Malbec
(Georgian wine is banned in Russia, perhaps not officially, they kind of dodge the subject when you ask them. This started last time I was in Moscow in 2006 when the government started harassing Georgian establishments, in fact we trekked in the rain to one LP-recommended one only to find it shut-down without notice. The menu offers "Abkhazian wine" which is perhaps a "safe" reference to Georgian wine since Russia recognises Abkhazia as a separate republic)
Dessert
We had a charge at the dessert buffet for 600 rubles each.
I had various torts and baklava type thingies and some stewed cherries.
Then finished with espresso and some "Georgian" grappa (perhaps it's not banned?) which was a bit rough and vastly improved by adding the juice from my stewed cherries.

This is a country where you can get an inkling of politics by reading the wine list.

"plenty of lavash (Georgian bread)"

Bren-do you mean Tonis Puri or Lavash ?

Because the former is Georgian-the latter Amenian.

Interesting about the wine on offer-I did wonder about the Abkhazian reference.

Edited by: someone who loves bread

I mean what's called on the menu "lavash - homemade Georgian bread"

What's Georgian dressing?

And isn't a 2560R buffet about AU$140?

It's about $110 Canadian-but remember 'Between noon and 4pm they give 30% discount on food and wines'

Moscow is one of the world's most expensive cities y'know.

Exactly - it's not cheap but it's a fairly upmarket restaurant and still about half of what you can pay at some places in Moscow for worse stuff.

I think some people assume that there must be parallel restaurant economies for high-spending expats and thrifty locals. Not in Moscow - the expats can't keep up with the locals any more.

For what it's worth, our bills on respective nights came to about 4900R and 5600R.

I hasten to add that I couldn't get away with that in Sydney, but we took turn about to pay the bill so the impact on the expense account was split.

Last night however, I ate at Stardogs for 95R including drink, and am now munching on bread, ham and cheese from the supermarket , washed down with a can of Baltika#7.

Here's some more affordable food in Moscow

As a side note.
I look at those prices with horror.
In the 70s, during my visits to Soviet Union, even as a poor student from Poland, I could live like a king. Had it been today. I'd have to live on stardogs and supermarket (or bulochnaya) food.
It looks like a whole different world now.

That is an understatement. Prices are slightly cheaper in Tyumen where I am now, if that's any consolation