I had asked Vasily to see Moscow as a local. I wanted to eat what and where the local folks eat. No tourist trap restaurant. I wanted to spend two days as an English-speaking local. First stop was a small pub specializing in local microbrews. In an attempt to keep protocol and détente on a suitable and politically correct level, I undertook some serious taste testing. The task I set for myself was a demanding one. Nonetheless, I stuck to it, making it through several flights before determining a local stout was my favorite. The beer was similar to other European beers I have tasted. There were differences, subtle but definitely distinct differences. I am not talking the difference between a lager and IPA type of difference. I am talking the differences between the same types of beer, lager to lager, stout to stout, etc. The difference I noticed was a fuller flavor with no bitter aftertaste. When I asked (the best I could understand) the difference was in the process of roasting the grain. Whatever it was, it made for a good beer.
We had dinner at a Georgian restaurant Vasily recommended. Once again, he was spot on with the recommendation. We had khachapuri lodochka for a starter and lamb chops and roasted potatoes for our main course. The khachapuri lodochka are stuffed breads. He suggested one stuffed with meat and another one stuffed with cheese. The cheese-stuffed one was my favorite. The bread was sort of gondola shaped and the middle is sliced open for several inches along its length. When baked, the split widens making the molten cheese is accessible. Just before it is ready to come out of the oven, a raw egg is cracked into the hot cheese. It goes back into the oven for just a moment until the white cooks and the yolk stays runny. When it come out of the oven, two healthy chunks of real butter are added and it is brought immediately to the table. When it is served, you stir the yolk and melted butter into the cheese, break off a piece of the bread, dip it into the cheese and enjoy. This quickly became one of my favorite dishes and I will figure out how to make it when I return home. We washed everything down with some Georgian wine and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After a big dinner and a long day of travel I was worn out. We made it back to the hotel a little after 8:00 and I was asleep by 9:00.
One ruble is .016 cents so the khachapuri lodochka was about $6.30
The lamb cutlets were 700 rubles or about $11.30 US
The weather was nice so we sat outside. Interesting use of the firewood storage to separate the dining area from the street.
A cheese and egg khachapuri lodochka ended up being my favorite food discovery from the trip. The lodochka in the back was of the meat variety.
The lamb cutlets and roasted potatoes.
My room at the Assambleya Nikitskaya Hotel. The accommodations were very nice.
