Nedalnyy Vostok

The restaurant's kitchen is a portal to another country, culture, and set of flavors.

Arkadia Novikov has once again done what makes each of his projects successful for many years: creating a relevant and trendy mix of diverse gastronomy, cultures, and traditions. In one space, you'll find Central and Near Asia, the Caucasus, and an unexplored part of the Mediterranean: more than 200 dishes, including specialties from the tandoor oven and a variety of mezes. The Eastern interior, with its artistic paintings and stained glass windows, is complemented by the rich aroma of spices and the warmth of an open fire. The East is close by, you just have to come to Sadovoy. "The Far East" is located in the historical complex of the Dolgorukov-Sologub estate - this is the Rostov house from Leo Tolstoy's monumental three-volume work, an architectural landmark of the city, celebrated by Russian intellectuals and writers of the Silver Age. Behind the heavy door of "The Far East," the air is thick with the scent of spices, the textured walls seem to be made of sand, there is greenery everywhere, designer handmade artifacts, and Eastern patterns in shades of azure. The interior was designed by the Krivtsova&Redina design studio. The main hall (over 200 seats) is made of expensive materials, with textures that feature natural motifs: white clay, natural stone, premium wood, and exclusive designer fabrics. In the warm season, there are two spacious verandas with live plants and flowers, reminiscent of a peaceful oasis in the metropolis. One is intimate and secluded, in the courtyard (50 seats). The other is lively on Bolshaya Nikitskaya, where you can feel the rhythm of the capital city, but without the hustle and bustle (20 seats). The heart of the project is the kitchen with a live fire. A team of thirteen chefs from Uzbekistan is working on the project. The gastronomic part of the story combines European, Caucasian, and Asian recipes. Authentic spices from all over the East give each dish its unique character: tahini and ras el hanout, Uzbek sumac, Moroccan zaatar, cumin, chili, and turmeric. If we're talking about light dishes that are perfect for the summer season, there's a separate list of raw dishes, vegetables, a variety of salads, and appetizers: crab meat with béchamel sauce, classic eggplant caviar, or a warm salad with eggplant and feta cheese. Special attention is paid to mezes and dips - there's hummus, labneh, Muhammara, and various spreads, served with homemade pita bread. Traditional kebabs and grilled meats, fish, and vegetables are cooked over an open fire, and a variety of pastries are baked in the oven, from manakish and pita bread to samsa, Moroccan dorada-khraime, sturgeon, and octopus, as well as many dishes that require long simmering - for example, lamb shank with mashed potatoes or a stew of beef tails. Here, they make stuffed grape leaves and dolma, prepare Armenian kyufta, and several types of pilaf - a classic Uzbek pilaf with lamb and an author's pilaf with lamb liver, dill, cilantro, and parsley. Soups are also cooked to suit every taste - lagman, shurpa, and a Mediterranean tomato soup with fish. The dessert menu was developed by head pastry chef Mr. Lee and Assunta Madre Bek Karayev. The recipes were collected from all corners of the world: there are Eastern traditions such as baklava and lukum, and European classics such as honey cake, profiteroles, and panna cotta with strawberries. A pleasant innovation is the tea pairing, because what is the East without tea? It includes herbal blends, Moroccan mint, traditional Asian and Chinese teas, as well as various drinks based on infusions. Quotes include: black tea brewed with strawberries, dates, and mint, sea buckthorn with dried apricots, and smoked Lao Sun Xiao Zhong tea. The bar menu was created by Valentin Yakovlev (Assunta Madre, Butler, "Pythagoras," "Chinese Diner"). It features classics and their variations, as well as signature cocktails with a spicy accent. For example, Minty August is made with apricot gin, mint, Raihon Ta'Mi is made with elderflower liqueur, rum, cherry tomatoes, and basil, or Gilos Tini is made with Aperol and belk, with notes of cherry and a hint of citrus. The basis of all drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, is fresh fruits, berries, and other seasonal southern fruits, as well as exotic ingredients from the East. In the lemonades, you can find interesting flavor combinations: peach-jasmine, red currant-sorrel, pineapple-basil. The wine collection, part of which can be viewed directly in the wine cabinets, was assembled by Alexei Danilov ("Bouillabaisse," Pinocchio, Fish Point, Peshi). The geography of the wines is diverse - from Spain and southern Italy to Burgundy, Chile, and Russia. There are popular wines from well-known producers and good wines from small estates, rare vintages (such as French Henri Bonneau from the Rhône Valley or Burgundian Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leflaive), as well as other light, juicy, and non-alcoholic wines. But most importantly, any wine on the list will pair well with meat and the rich, spicy cuisine of the East. In the past, "the East" meant "sunrise" - because the sun rises from that part of the world. "The Far East" tells about one of the most mysterious and attractive parts of the world from a new perspective: the menu is inspired by the customs of different Eastern cultures, and the atmosphere transports you to either the secluded streets of Morocco, or the bustling streets of Tashkent, or even the shores of Tunisia. This is a comprehensive atlas of the East, and you won't want to stop exploring it.