Did I just luck-out being able to live here in Irkutsk in the neighborhood that I am living in?
Or was my being here part of some Divine Plan?
Either way, luck-out or Divine Plan, I am oh-so-happy with where I am living.
I wonder how this happened. Almost immediately next door to my convenience market ..
Next to my convenience store is :
The Restaurant (рεсторан) Trapeznikov (Трапεэников), one of the fine dining, top end restaurants in all of Irkutsk.
As you peruse the below photos, if you know me, you will wonder ..
"How on this good earth did Cap ever go into this magnificent restaurant? This is definitely not Cap's style at all."
And this is 100% accurate.
Well one evening, maybe it was the very first evening I was in Irkutsk, I was hungry and I was out of food (or perhaps I hadn't gotten any food in). It was past 9pm and my convenience store was closed.
So right next door to my convenience store, I spied this ritzy, fancy, high dollar, exclusive, magnificent restaurant with the odd name.
рεсторан Трапεэников
In I walked. The staff were extremely welcoming and polite and said, "We have no seating available Sir."
"Do you do take-out food, take-away food?"
They looked at me blankly. Then they disappeared into the back (to consult with someone else).
They reappeared and said I could have some soup to take-away.
I got my soup. A half litre of soup cost me US $11.84.
It was high dollar exotic soup. It was good. It satisfied me. Lord God I was so hungry I ate stuff I would not have eaten if I knew what it was. Fish is what it was. And I lived through the night thanks to God and the staff of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
So I had a soft-spot in my heart for the рεсторан Трапεэников.
And I vowed to go back and eat a meal with them.
Now you know ..
The Rest Of The Story about this Post.
In the photo immediately, below you see the blue flag of the рεсторан Трапεэников also known as the Restaurant Trapeznikov.
The Russian word .. рεсторан .. that you see at the top of the blue flag, means restaurant.
The word at the bottom .. Трапεэников .. is the name of the restaurant .. Trapeznikov.
Now looking at the below photos, you can see the above blue flag on the right side of them.
Below is a close up photo of the street sign on the far right edge of the building above.
5th Army Street.
As I mentioned above, the Russian word .. рεсторан .. at the top of the below sign, means restaurant.
Now that I know that the Russian word at the bottom of the above sign .. Трапεэников .. spells .. Trapeznikov, I can sound it out (kind of sort of mind you).
If you say Трапεэников like this .. Тра пεэ ников .. Tra pez nikov .. it pronounces fairly well.
Some night time photos of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
Night time above.
Snow time below.
The time has come to go inside of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
As you enter and look straight ahead, you see the below view.
Pass through the above open door, you have a very private dining room.
Now we enter the main dining room.
I call these digs elegant.
As I sat at my table, at the farthest end of the dining room, immediately to my left I saw the very pleasant views you see below.
I liked the fact that the clock was working and the time was correct.
To my right as I sat at my table, I looked out at the below street scene noticing their fancy blue flag.
The blue flag of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
The time has come to eat.
The рεсторан Трапεэников menu.
The Restaurant (рεсторан) Trapeznikov (Трапεэников).
I WILL have some bread.
Odd you have to order it individually. 50 Russian Rubles is US $0.75.
The bread was very tasty.
With my bread I am going to have a Russian Salad.
Boiled potato, eggs, pickled cucumbers, boiled carrot, onion, green peas, mayonnaise with backed quail.
This is what it looked like.
Elegant presentation.
The dark brown drizzle is NOT chocolate. I don't know what it was but is was not sweet.
The cost of the Russian Salad was 480 Rubles or US $7.16.
I ordered the Veal medallion served on backed potato with bright taste of summer vegetables in thin crust.
The entree cost 795 Rubles or US $11.87.
Notice if you will the sprig of tiny red berries.
I ate (count them) one tiny red berry. One tiny red berry was almost one tiny red berry too many. Bitter and not tasty.
The small glass bowl that the salad presented with my entree was a special design made to stand at an angle.
The time has come to pay-the-Piper for undoubtedly one of the most elegant meals I have ever eaten. The fact is I cannot recall ever-in-my-life having eaten such an elegant meal in such a special venue.
Will you all just look at how the bill was presented to me.
The bottom line cost of my meal was 1,325 Russian Rubles which is US $19.78.
I did not feel that a tip, a gratuity, was called-for BUT ..
My gratuity of 200 Rubles is US $2.99 just a smidgen over 15%.
I'd say That-Is-That for the рεсторан Трапεэников.
However ..
Howevah ..
I plan to treat Patti to a meal here at the рεсторан Трапεэников.
What Sayest Thou My Dear One?
Smiles at the joy of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cap
Or was my being here part of some Divine Plan?
Either way, luck-out or Divine Plan, I am oh-so-happy with where I am living.
I wonder how this happened. Almost immediately next door to my convenience market ..
Next to my convenience store is :
The Restaurant (рεсторан) Trapeznikov (Трапεэников), one of the fine dining, top end restaurants in all of Irkutsk.
As you peruse the below photos, if you know me, you will wonder ..
"How on this good earth did Cap ever go into this magnificent restaurant? This is definitely not Cap's style at all."
And this is 100% accurate.
Well one evening, maybe it was the very first evening I was in Irkutsk, I was hungry and I was out of food (or perhaps I hadn't gotten any food in). It was past 9pm and my convenience store was closed.
So right next door to my convenience store, I spied this ritzy, fancy, high dollar, exclusive, magnificent restaurant with the odd name.
рεсторан Трапεэников
In I walked. The staff were extremely welcoming and polite and said, "We have no seating available Sir."
"Do you do take-out food, take-away food?"
They looked at me blankly. Then they disappeared into the back (to consult with someone else).
They reappeared and said I could have some soup to take-away.
I got my soup. A half litre of soup cost me US $11.84.
It was high dollar exotic soup. It was good. It satisfied me. Lord God I was so hungry I ate stuff I would not have eaten if I knew what it was. Fish is what it was. And I lived through the night thanks to God and the staff of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
So I had a soft-spot in my heart for the рεсторан Трапεэников.
And I vowed to go back and eat a meal with them.
Now you know ..
The Rest Of The Story about this Post.
In the photo immediately, below you see the blue flag of the рεсторан Трапεэников also known as the Restaurant Trapeznikov.
The Russian word .. рεсторан .. that you see at the top of the blue flag, means restaurant.
The word at the bottom .. Трапεэников .. is the name of the restaurant .. Trapeznikov.
Now looking at the below photos, you can see the above blue flag on the right side of them.
Below is a close up photo of the street sign on the far right edge of the building above.
5th Army Street.
As I mentioned above, the Russian word .. рεсторан .. at the top of the below sign, means restaurant.
Now that I know that the Russian word at the bottom of the above sign .. Трапεэников .. spells .. Trapeznikov, I can sound it out (kind of sort of mind you).
If you say Трапεэников like this .. Тра пεэ ников .. Tra pez nikov .. it pronounces fairly well.
Some night time photos of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
Night time above.
Snow time below.
The time has come to go inside of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
As you enter and look straight ahead, you see the below view.
Pass through the above open door, you have a very private dining room.
Now we enter the main dining room.
I call these digs elegant.
As I sat at my table, at the farthest end of the dining room, immediately to my left I saw the very pleasant views you see below.
I liked the fact that the clock was working and the time was correct.
To my right as I sat at my table, I looked out at the below street scene noticing their fancy blue flag.
The blue flag of the рεсторан Трапεэников.
The time has come to eat.
The рεсторан Трапεэников menu.
The Restaurant (рεсторан) Trapeznikov (Трапεэников).
I WILL have some bread.
Odd you have to order it individually. 50 Russian Rubles is US $0.75.
The bread was very tasty.
With my bread I am going to have a Russian Salad.
Boiled potato, eggs, pickled cucumbers, boiled carrot, onion, green peas, mayonnaise with backed quail.
This is what it looked like.
Elegant presentation.
The dark brown drizzle is NOT chocolate. I don't know what it was but is was not sweet.
The cost of the Russian Salad was 480 Rubles or US $7.16.
I ordered the Veal medallion served on backed potato with bright taste of summer vegetables in thin crust.
The entree cost 795 Rubles or US $11.87.
Notice if you will the sprig of tiny red berries.
I ate (count them) one tiny red berry. One tiny red berry was almost one tiny red berry too many. Bitter and not tasty.
The small glass bowl that the salad presented with my entree was a special design made to stand at an angle.
The time has come to pay-the-Piper for undoubtedly one of the most elegant meals I have ever eaten. The fact is I cannot recall ever-in-my-life having eaten such an elegant meal in such a special venue.
Will you all just look at how the bill was presented to me.
The bottom line cost of my meal was 1,325 Russian Rubles which is US $19.78.
I did not feel that a tip, a gratuity, was called-for BUT ..
My gratuity of 200 Rubles is US $2.99 just a smidgen over 15%.
I'd say That-Is-That for the рεсторан Трапεэников.
However ..
Howevah ..
I plan to treat Patti to a meal here at the рεсторан Трапεэников.
What Sayest Thou My Dear One?
Smiles at the joy of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cap
What an elegant looking place! I wondered about the tipped salad bowl .. thanks for explaining that it is designed that way. After the presentation and elegance of it all, why did you feel that a tip would not be called for? I am glad you left a tip. Nice that you went back for an actual meal after your 'take-out' soup your first night there! Smiles and love. Patti
ReplyDeleteOver here, in this part of the world, it seems that our tradition of tipping or leaving a gratuity, is not common. In reading the body language of the server who brought me my bill, I did not get the vibe that they were looking for a tip. When they brought me my receipt from my VISA card, there was no place to add a tip. In the U.S. it is obvious (because there is an open place, a blank line on the charge slip, for a tip to be entered) they expect a gratuity. Not so here. I just got a credit card charge slip with no further fanfare.
DeleteHowever, as you say, I wanted to leave them a gratuity which I did. When I left they had not come to collect a gratuity nor did they seem to be looking for, nor expecting one. I am happy I left them 15%. I hope to take you there. You will enjoy the Russian Salad I had.
Love .. Cap
You know, Cap. It's okay to treat yourself once in a while. I'm sure glad you plan to take Patti there, too. And, I'm cure the restaurant appreciated your custom (that's a fancy word for business).
ReplyDeleteYes I know and you are indeed correct. Once in awhile, from time to time, it is good to treat oneself but rarely do I splurge on dining. My idea of a splurge is getting a Burger King Whopper with four patties of meat. I wouldn't think of not taking Patti here for a meal. Thanks for your comment Gullible. Cap
DeleteVery elegant dining room, I think i would be out of my element. I'm a much more casual girl. The food looks amazing and I like the restaurant signs. Ginny
ReplyDeleteGinny the staff made me feel so comfortable that I don't think you would feel to out of your element. The restaurant itself is a very comfortable place, almost like a home in some ways. Smiles .. Cap
DeleteBy the way, those berries look like highbush cranberries. Could be something else, of course, but the stem and color look like what we have here. Yeah, almost inedible. Maybe elderberries.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised you say highbush cranberries are almost inedible. The harvesting of them is a big deal up in the Interior of Alaska. The one berry I had in the restaurant was almost inedible believe thee me.
DeleteHighbush cranberries are a developed taste. You like them or you don't. Lowbush, on the other hand, are far more useful.
DeleteBrasserie bbb is highly recommended on Trip Advisor, and the photos of the food and desserts are wonderful. On Karl Marx Street and there's a KFC down the street where you can go to get that bucket of chicken....
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look into this because Karl Marx Street is one-of-my-streets. It may be a little way out however. There are no buses on Karl Marx Street that I know of. Smiles .. Cap
Delete