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We sat at an elegant wrought iron and glass table and perused the menu: high-priced, conservative European and Russian fare. But our nerves were jarred not only by the music but also by the staff, who clearly had not been expecting any dinner guests at 5:30pm on a Sunday. They were fussing about, busily setting up for a party, and continued like this for our entire meal. The manager did offer an apology of sorts and invited us to stay for the celebration. But given the lack of fine dining ambience, we felt disinclined to spend up big and selected from among the cheapest things on the menu.
We started with draft Krusovice (130 rubles a half-liter) and chose from a breadbasket; at least the bread was fresh and tasty. Out came the broccoli cream soup (180 rubles) and the red bean soup with bacon (180 rubles) — both hearty and delicious, especially the latter. Reinforcing our impression that the cook was trying even if nobody else was, our mains were also good, and actually appeared simultaneously. The rabbit with bacon (390 rubles) consisted of a herb-stuffed bunny leg alongside three mounds of mashed potato with bacon and some leaf-shaped carrot and zucchini slices, on one of those trendy oversized plates with artistically splattered sauce swirls. In contrast, the Hic Bibitur pelmeni (450 rubles) came in a peasanty clay pot topped by a dough lid emblazoned with the restaurant’s name. The veal pelmeni were in a flavorsome bullion with white mushrooms, carrot and onion — delicious, and at that price, they should be. The side of baked potato (120 rubles) turned out to be three crispy-skinned taters with chopped tomato and olives — tasty, but unnecessary given the size of the servings.
We gave Hic Bibitur a second chance, returning for beers on a Friday evening. And although a pair of formally attired musicians were playing peaceful jazz, the bright lighting and sports games on screen once again destroyed what could have been a romantic ambience. When eating good, pricey food in an expensively furnished restaurant, surely a diner can expect a certain atmosphere — but we didn’t find it here.
Hic Bibitur 6 2nd Brestskaya Ul. (M. Mayakovskaya) 234-3048, noon-midnight
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