blackberry hill
Despite being named after a machine that ties people to their work desk 24 hours a day, BlackBerry Cafe on Akademika Sakharava Pr. is all about serving up a good time. Prices are low and the quality is high; all you need to do is find it.
PHOTO GEORGY NIKANOROV / TEXT ED BENTLEY
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BlackBerry Cafe, the latest venue in the ever-expanding Ginza empire, which also owns Prado Cafe, offers an eclectic mix of different cuisines and stimulating atmosphere. Only two minutes walk from Chistiye Prudy, you could easily be forgiven for missing it. Attached to the side of a modern glass business center on Akademika Sakharova Pr., the only hint of its existence is a small sign on the door. Despite the low profile, once inside it turns out to be a fun-filled place that’s about more than just food.
The cafe was designed by Vera Tatariniva and was her first major project. The comfy sofas and armchairs give it a relaxed feel, while the various levels and niches can give customers privacy and intimacy. Upstairs has bigger tables for groups as well as a VIP area that can be rented out for private parties. During the day there is an open kitchen upstairs where customers can watch the chefs cooking and take anything they fancy, being charged per plate.
In the evening the lights are lowered and a live DJ gives the place a more vibrant ambiance. On the night we went, upstairs a stage played host to a special scary show prepared for Halloween. The staff also wore gruesome face paint and a make-up artist was on hand to help customers look sufficiently fearsome.
The meal got off to a good start with two original and tasty salads. The Thai beef salad (450 rubles) was lightly spiced and full of tender meat, while the recommended blackberry salad (380 rubles) offered fresh fruit and flavorsome cheese. The resident wine expert chose Pinot Grigio Carnevale di Venezia (390 rubles per glass) and Condesa de Leganza Tinto Crianza (320 rubles per glass) as a superb accompaniment to our starters.
Unfortunately, a perpetual problem in Russian restaurants is service and despite fully attentive and pleasant staff one minor problem cropped up. I was brought my tom yam soup (320 rubles) at the same time as my companion was served her main dish, leaving my partner the choice of either waiting while her food went cold or later having to watch me eat my main course alone. However, the dedication of the staff was clear and this problem should be easily solved, bearing in mind the restaurant has only been open for a month.
Luckily the quality of my tom yam soup made amends for this lack of forethought in the service. The healthy portion was full of fresh seafood and refreshingly spicy. It is not for the fainthearted though, as I repeatedly had to pause to gulp down water and wine to quell the fire in my mouth.
I will cover the main courses together, even though they did not arrive at the same time. The duck (680 rubles) was excellent, served with rice pancakes and hoisin sauce. I experimented with papardelli al pesto with pheasant (480 rubles). The pesto sauce was thick, pungent and tasty over the fresh pasta, while the pheasant, which I had never tasted before, was simply delicious. However, to drag out an old cliche, it did taste remarkably similar to chicken.
Dessert is always the highlight of any meal and BlackBerry Cafe was no exception to this rule. The creamy smetannik (280 rubles) came with fresh strawberries in the base, while the vanilla cheesecake (290 rubles) had a tangy jam to accompany it. The sweet taste mixed with aromatic fruit rounded off the meal perfectly.
By the time we finished our meal the restaurant was filling up and people were getting into a party mood. We stayed around to sample the atmosphere and selection of foreign beer. It was mostly German and the Lundbier (290 rubles) is one of the best of a quality, if slightly limited, selection.
Although the number of available beers may be select, the variety of dishes on the menu was enormous, spanning at least three different types of cuisine. Our meal had a mostly Asian flavor, though the pasta main course highlights the diversity BlackBerry Cafe offers. They also offer domestic cuisine, such as shashlyk and stroganoff, as well as sushi.
Currently the restaurant stays open until the last customer leaves, though there are plans to become 24 hours. By the time we left close to midnight the show hadn’t even started and everyone was chatting animatedly. The exciting atmosphere, great food and reasonable prices combine to make BlackBerry Cafe a great location to start a night out.
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