Story and photography by Barbara Angelakis
 

St Petersburg

General Director Marja-Liisa Järvenpää of The Sokos Hotels Palace Bridge, radiated a warm and welcoming greeting as she ushered us into the historic brick cellar that once served as the wine emporium for the famous merchant dynasty of the Eliseev family.  Champaign for the Czars was stored in the very section of the cellar where we were seated for dinner. The hotel incorporated the original brick building which now functions as a romantic dining room for private dinners. In this beautiful setting with the oversized fireplace and vaulted brick ceilings, we were introduced to our first taste of Russian cuisine. Salmon salad over traditional brown bread sliced thinly, a superb cold salmon soup – a meal in itself – and a rondelle of reindeer filet, wrapped in bacon with a red wine reduction accompanied by a potato cake wedge. Dessert was a signature chocolate cream with berries and a berry reduction. The wine pairing was well chosen and all together the meal, the wine, the company, was outstanding and set a high standard for the meals to come. www.sokoshotels.com

Lunch at the luxurious 5-star Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg (formerly Nevskij Palace Hotel) was a festive affair. Art Deco inspired black marble floors, oversized chandeliers, huge bouquets of fresh flowers, and a sweeping central staircase, are all design elements the Corinthia Hotels are renowned for. We were greeted with the Russian time-honored bread and salt welcome by a lovely young lady in traditional costume, accompanied by a violinist and an accordion player who serenaded us throughout lunch. Cold appetizers artfully and abundantly arranged on the table as we entered the dining room almost took my breath away. The selection of traditional dishes such as sliced smoked whitefish and salmon; red egg caviar with blinis and all the trimmings; glasses filled with a variety of classic salads including jumbo grilled shrimp over flavored mayonnaise; and an assortment of cold vegetables and smoked meats. And if that were not enough of a starter, out came the hot appetizers of de rigueur mushrooms in cream sauce –this delicious version topped with melted cheese - and pastry wrapped meat pies. Presenting us with a profusion of mouth-watering local specialties were beautiful young women in traditional Russian costumes. For the entrée there was a choice of Beef Stroganoff – one of my favorites – or the rare treat of Kulebyaka with Pike Perch. It was a tough decision but in the end I selected the Kulebyaka and I was not disappointed. Dessert was a groaning table of cakes and pies and petitefours that staggered the imagination. www.corinthia.com

Just outside of St Petersburg in the exclusive suburb of Sestroretskij Kurort, is the Skandinavia Country Club and Spa. Located on the Gulf of Finland, the village has long been renowned for its clean air, natural mineral water springs and mineral rich mud. We were warmly greeted by the ebullient General Manager Magnus Wetterholm and invited to take advantage of the sauna, outdoor pool and hot tub, and encouraged to build an appetite for the dinner to come. Magnus wanted to give us a taste of the locally available seasonal bounty and we began our dinner with a stew of fresh chanterelle mushrooms, collected just hours before, and served over butter fried toast. A simple dish but oh so good!

As a special treat we were entertained by Vladimir Rozanov, a classically trained accordionist who has won many international competitions. Vladimir is a charming young man who mastered this very complex instrument and wowed us with his modern classical selections.  Continuing with dinner and the peasant dish Pelmeni, pasta stuffed with venison meat, instead of the usual minced meat, and served in a venison consommé accompanied by thick Smetana (Russian sour cream rich in butter fat). Pelmeni is similar to Italian Tortellini which is also often served in a broth. Beef a la Lindstrom was the main entree, named after Henrik Lindstrom, who was born in St Petersburg to Swedish parents. Henrik invented the dish in 1862 and introduced it to his Russian neighbors.It quickly became a classic. Small grilled beef patties are flavored with beetroot and capers and served with pickled vegetables and horse radish cream. Magnus selected wines to balance the rich classic dishes and ended the meal with a chocolate covered vanilla mousse, draped with fresh berries and cloudberry sauce, and artfully decorated with a sugar glaze wrapping. It was served with Cloudberry liqueur. www.skandivavia.ru

Back in Petersburg and tonight we dine at Palkin, the most elegant, the most famous, and the oldest restaurant, fashionably located on Nevsky Prospekt (the main drag). The first Palkin opened in 1785 and after a few moves and several renovations, reopened in 2002 restored to its original interiors using old photographs as a guide. Also researched were old culinary books of Russian cuisine, that with the addition of elements of French cuisine, give Palkin its flamboyant menu. Our tasting dinner began with a salad for the table of raspberry leaves with thick slices of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, followed by a smoked trout fillet with salsa and then the entertaining dish of herring under a “fur coat” – foam of potato. Red caviar followed with blinis and sour cream before the ubiquitous - but always delicious - mushroom cream soup, on this occasion, seasoned with black truffles and garlic crisps. To clean the palate a pear and basil sorbet made at table with dry ice, followed by a fish dish of sturgeon baked in white wine and dressed with a crayfish sauce. The entrée was leg of lamb cooked at a low temperature for 12 hours and served with a potato baked in clay. The dessert was ice cream made in front of us with fresh berries flambé with cognac… fire and ice. Of course wines were paired for the different dishes and we ended with the traditional Vodka shot. www.palkin.ru

Another outstanding meal was held at the new trendy W Hotel just off Nevskij Prospekt. The Restaurant miX is one of Alain Ducasse Classics, highlighting many of his award-winning signature dishes. The contemporary styled restaurant is off the first floor lobby and features a wall of wine and an exposed kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work.

The menu offered so many tempting selections that I resorted to the tried and true custom of asking the waitress for suggestions… and then taking them! For an appetizer she suggested the soft-boiled egg, forestière-style garnish. Having no idea what I was ordering, I put my trust in her beaming face and was presented with an amazing dish. Royal mushrooms sautéed with cream formed into a paste to cuddle a coddled egg whose white was translucent and whose yoke was still runny, topped with a toasted crisp and garnished with large grilled pieces of the succulent mushroom. Her second suggestion was more pedestrian but still very good – beef tournedos with a foie gras and black truffle cream served on the side. The beef had a sweet red wine and black truffle reduction with a crisp garnish. After such a rich meal I passed on dessert and decided to end the evening with an espresso.  www.explorewhotels.com

© December 2011 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.