Cafe Margarita Moscow

In the Ponds of the Patriarch, on the site of the legendary Café Margarita, which would have turned 30 this year, the Margarita bistro restaurant was opened, a joint project by Glen Ballis, Ivan Kukarsky and Bogdan Panchenko. At the beginning of the week, we published an interview with the chef of the brand, and now we are talking about his new project.

Interesting places to see in Moscow: Visit the Café Margarita Moscow

Interesting places to see in Moscow, a city full of amazing history. What places to eat to visit in Moscow, there are thousands, but today we bring you an article to know the good things about visiting the Café Margarita Moscow.

When talking about Russia, most of us have a lot of diverse ideas and stereotypes of all kinds in the head; however, when referring to the historical past of this country; invariably we refer to the USSR and the Soviet era.

However, we have very little in mind about the pre-Soviet era and the cultural expressions that were manifested in this era, whether in music, dance, literature or even gastronomy. This is precisely what attempts to rescue one of the most peculiar coffees in Moscow, Café Margarita.

From music to the environment and decoration; Everything focuses on the pre-Soviet era, which has led it to become one of the most emblematic places in the city for those interested in the culture and bohemian atmosphere. Even the name of the place itself arises from Bulgakov’s work “The master and the daisy”; since this novel includes in its scenarios the Patriarch Park; which is located next to this coffee.

The setting of this place includes live music performed by young musicians; and especially includes violin and piano, although sometimes jazz bands are also invited. A unique place that you should not miss on your trip to Russia.

Nothing from Bulgakov

If you ever had to visit the Margarita cafe, which was previously located at this address, then you should not compare the new restaurant with it, it has become quite the opposite. The project was designed by the Sundukova sisters, and one has the feeling that doing exactly the opposite was fundamentally important. They decided to completely abandon allusions to the mystical surroundings of Bulgakov, and made the interior very light, almost white, completely ventilated. All the walls are decorated with white floral bas-reliefs, which pass without problems to the cabinets. The stained marble was also not saved: part of the tables, the floor and a contact bar that wrapped the open kitchen were made of it.

The furniture was chosen in light colors: part is made of wood and gray upholstery, and the soft chairs look like large swollen corals, which are surprisingly comfortable to sit on. The windows were cut on the floor, so during the day there is light in the room, in the summer they promise to open them wide and part of the tables will be placed outside. On a summer terrace in the city there will be more. The first impression of the interior is mixed, either because of the unexpectedness of the chosen solution or because of its rarity. But it is interesting that there were no favorite tricks: gold, glitter, large spherical spiders and bright spots. Therefore, the space turned out to be very holistic and organic, somehow very European, simple but elegant.

Ballis 2.0

Ballis can cook simple and understandable foods, making them interesting, without overloading tastes and ingredients. This can be seen in all his projects, from Glenuill to Remy Kitchen Bakery and Cutfish. In Margarita, the boss was named Dan Miron, who previously held a similar position in the Holy Fox gastrobar.

In Margarita, Glen seems to have gathered all his experience and issued a fifth essence of himself, a kind of GlenUill 2.0: a great menu, clear products, interesting combinations.

There is a large section with appetizers, mainly raw fish and seafood, but there is beef and tartar burrata. You can take everything safely from the starters: six years in the “Weekly East” and the launch of Cutfish, which returned sushi to the diet of decent people, with confidence, let’s say they can handle raw fish in Ballis’s kitchen .

The second on the menu is a compact section with vegetables, and even meat eaters should pay attention. The menu includes all the chef’s iconic but reinvented dishes: young carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes and celery with truffle. In Margarita they changed slightly, more subtle combinations were chosen. If Glenuill serves carrots with smoked yogurt, harissa and beet mousse, then here it is served with goat cheese and orange mustard.

So, the Regular Dishes section, which includes soups, salads and hot dishes, is such a universal selection for every day. Here, a salad with avocado, beans and strawberry vinegar – 590 rubles (hello to the green salad of Remy Kitchen Bakery), open ravioli with shrimp stew and mashed sweet potato – 690 rubles, black rice with grilled squid and aioli – 790 rubles. Be sure to try the crab shrimp orzo: 890 rubles, here it turned out to be very good, light and at the same time rich.

The large section of Coals, that is, “on the coals,” replaced the main course block: here are fish, poultry and meat. There is chicken with lemon – 790 rubles, swordfish with olives, capers and tomatoes – 990 rubles, salmon with herbs and tomatoes – 890 rubles. Ordering an octopus is always a bit scary, because it is extremely easy to spoil it, but here it turned out: moderately soft, with charcoal and baked potatoes: 1,100 rubles.

The menu ends with cheese sections and desserts: cheeses are served with quince, apricot or tomatoes, depending on the variety, and for dessert, citrus salad, rhubarb pie, Pavlova meringue, chocolate mousse and grilled peach. Desserts of dense textures and thick creams should not be expected; they are more likely to be the correct conclusion of dinner and add some sweetness to the overall impression.

The wine and bar cards were also not left unattended: there are a dozen wine positions by the glass: the New Zealand Sauvignon will cost 600 rubles and the prosecco glass will cost 500. The prices of the bottles start at 2,500 rubles and reach 19 thousand , so you can pick something up then for all tastes and budgets. The bar menu has a lot of strong alcohol, as well as a cocktail menu that Maxim Gorelik developed for Margarita. Here they make non-standard bellini: 670 rubles, lavender spritz: 650 rubles, rhubarb gimlet: 570 rubles. And a series of cocktails and copyright twists on the classics.