(for a link with directions and more, flick down to the end of this beautifully-crafted post )
I have a weird interest in North Korea related stuff which is why I was so pleased to hear that Moscow has a legit North Korean restaurant.
When I think NK and all the Dear Leader related craziness I think of Stalinist Russia, but even more ridiculous.
Since I don't have a working time machine (yet) visiting NK is the next best way for me to experience probably one of the weirdest places on earth.
Sadly, I don't think I'll be visiting the hermit kingdom any time soon, leaving this as my last resort.
The itself is just like a very nice Soviet style stolovaya (which is a canteen).
Now, here's my breakdown:
The Staff
The secret Asian fetishist within me was loving every second it it. The staff were actually from North or South Korea (or maybe China). They were really polite and the service was like lightning. Although we only got one menu between two which was a bit weird.
I liked the authentic feel. Usually in any Asian restaurant in Russia, they have fake Asian staff. I mean, if you can't get Japanese staff, just import the whole of Kirgistan instead right? I mean it's not like anyone can tell
shit just got authentic
The Food
I'm a fan of Chinese and Japanese food, although I'd never tried any type of Korean food before, so this was a nice surprise for me.
I went for beef and a pork and kimchee soup (which comes with rice) - both were excellent and I didn't have to wait long.
The food was traditional too, no burgers or anything else Western on the menu (then again, if you're going for Asian food, why would you want to get a burger?)
The soup alone was massive, especially when you throw the rice in with it.
One thing I will say is, those who are spice-averse beware! Although I found the soup to be really delicious, it almost exploded my brains - it was that spicy. I could be wrong, but I think jalapeños were actually floating in it.
I was sweating, my nose was running and my core temperature was hotter than an X-rated picture of Putin riding a horse.
Keep this in mind if you go on a date here because your potential conquest, male or female will get to enjoy a view of you endlessly blowing your nose and sweating - not conducive to sexy time.
The price
Prices were on the cheap side, about 300-500 for a main dish. For two of us, with 4 dishes and a seemingly endless supply of tea, the cost was 1700.
If everybody hates you and you're forced to eat alone, you can fill up nicely for about 700.
The atmosphere
Quiet and relaxed, although I think on some nights they have karaoke shows too, although I can't confirm that.
Nothing special, but I would say quite relaxing. The music was a good level too.
Verdict
Definitely worth a look and a nice change from the usual selection of Moscow restaurants on offer.
I would be interested to know if the staff were really from NK, but there was no way to tell. I mean, I could have asked, but it would have felt a bit weird.
If any of my 3 or so readers speak Korean and can differentiate the dialects, I'd be interested to know if the staff there are legit.
Drop me a line and let me know.
To have a look at the place and read some reviews, check out this link:
http://resto.ru/place/6292
Happy eating !
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This post first appeared on An English Perspective On Life In Moscow, Russia, please read the originial post: here
