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The Russia RestaurantNAME: Russia TYPE: Russian HOURS: Noon to 11 pm daily. Tel: 450-210 LOCATION: If you are flying over UB at night in a 747 at 10,000 meters, look for a building lit up in psychedelic colors. That's across the street from the Russia restaurant. If you have a parachute, just aim for that. Otherwise, drive or rollerblade; east on Peace Avenue toward the rising sun (if it's morning), beyond the British embassy. You'll find it more or less across the street from the Star One Hotel (see our review). "Russia" is in a complex of low, one-storey blue buildings behind an unfriendly iron fence. When the leaves are out in the summer, it may be somewhat more obscure, which fits our criteria even better. When the Russians left Mongolia in the early 90s, there was a massive campaign to paint many Russian-owned properties blue. That may have been the only color available at the time. This is reportedly the origin of all the blue buildings one sees along Peace Avenue heading east from Sukhbaataar Square. This restaurant has been around for awhile. Indeed, well-known British celebrity diplomats, Barry and Ann Bicknell from the British embassy, had a sumptuous farewell feast there toward the end of the last century. FACILITIES AND AMENITIES: When we found the narrow entrance to the blue complex in the iron fence, we had the feeling that we might be entering the gulag and might not be heard from again. If the food didn't do us in, the system might. We found the restaurant door to the left of the gate and entered. Our immediate inclination was to turn left down the open corridor off the vestibule. That would be the fastest way to the kitchen, the food and the pretty auburn-haired cook. But for the dining salon, we had to go through another door. APPEARANCE AND AMBIANCE: The inner door opens to an attractive foyer with a large couch and coat rack. There were no coats on the coat rack and no one attending it since it is spring time and coats are migrating north. Happy days are here again. But still a nice place to wait for your guests. To the left, is the attractively, nicely decorated and well lit dining salon with a maroon carpet and well-stocked, stand-up bar at the far end. Functional tables for 2-6 with a total seating capacity for perhaps 50 max. The restrooms are standard Russian design: one room for the toilet and an adjacent room for the wash basin. No gender discrimination in these facilities, so knock first. Clean and fragrant---didn't smell like many toilets do in UB. The hand-dryer worked (but no hair dryer----see our Eskimo Cafe review). The toilet didn't flush, which could be problematic if it isn't fixed soon. Background music for dining came from a Russian radio station. The music was eclectic, including Glen Miller as mentioned above. ATTENDANCE: While we were there, an Asian couple came in, ate quickly and left.Otherwise, we had the place to ourselves. STAFF: One pretty blonde Russian waitress. And the auburn-haired cook in the kitchen whom we only glimpsed fleetingly. SERVICE: Excellent, fast and friendly. Probably the waitress did not quite know what to make of your galloping gourmets at first, but she warmed up and was very attentive. She even put on special Russian music at the end. MENU: Russian. There is not a single written or spoken word of English in this establishment, unless Pete Morrow of the Ag Bank has already nicked the only English-language menu in this restaurant as he did for the Beijing Restaurant (see our review for that one). Take a Russian speaker with you. It will help the ordering. FOOD: Excellent soups which can be a meal in and of themselves. Go there just for that. Caviar and smoked fish for appetizers were pretty good. Good Russian beer. There were no wines, so lovers of the grape will not get their palates tickled here. The food of the main courses was fresh but just too greasy for us. The fish were swimming in oil instead of water. We pointed this out to the waitress who became a bit miffed. But after some leg-flying Cossack dancing with her at the end, everything ended cheerfully. HYGIENE: Excellent from everything we saw. COST: About Tg8000 per person, all inclusive RECOMMENDATION: Give it a try, especially the soups. A nice atmosphere for a quiet, undisturbed talk (either for business or romance). The staff will put on Russian or other dancing music if you like. RATING: 3.2 out of 5
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