Ideal Restaurant
...top of the Mount Kilimanjaro. Little streams lined with weed covered pebbles murmur quietly at the foot of the mountain. The view and the sound of the water are very soothing and together with the pleasant coolness of the air that reminds of the snowy mountain tops create a deep sense of harmony and relaxation. Each of the dining sections has a heavy table, wooden benches, covered in sack cloth and embroidered pillows and a lamp that hangs above the table and holds a candle. The tables are set with hand made linen napkins and wooden utensils, the reed covered walls are livened up with fanciful masks and figurines. There is so much to look at that one forgets the true reason of the visit – the menu. Fortunately, the pleasant staff is there to help. Our waitress is a slender young woman, dressed in a long colorful skirt and an embroidered shirt that allows a peek at her slender belly. Her outfit is tastefully complemented with a long string of shell and tusks. She helps us sort through the large variety of the dishes on the menu. The majority of the items belong to the eastern cuisine and both the names and the ingredients sound new and unfamiliar to a Russian. There is a wide variety of meat and fish dishes. They can be grilled, roasted, cooked in clay pots or as shish-kebabs. However, the true specialty of the place is seafood: shrimps or sushi, they are masterfully prepared here. My personal favourite is squid. It is offered in at least ten variations and every gourmet will find something to his or her taste. The presentation of the food is a performance in itself. A meat dish called Pharaoh’s dream is brought in majestically on a large plate that the waitress carries high above her head. The plate is bright with the greens and olives, crisp lettuce leafs hide dark slices of beef and a real flame glows in the middle, a symbol of light and warmth. Every time I watch this presentation I catch my breath in delight and half expect something miraculous to happen. It might be the sight of this bright still-life on a plate, or the aroma of the fresh fragrant food, or the soft sounds of the music in the background, or the effect of the wine, but rather it is the combination of all four that transfers me to a mysterious world. I am no longer just having a meal in a restaurant in St. Petersburg, I am in the ...