Culture

Less than meets the eye

It’s a strange phenomenon witnessed at many St. Petersburg restaurants that the wait staff seems surprised and even miffed when customers come in looking for a meal. Perhaps these establishments cater more to those on a liquid diet. While the food at 1780 on a recent Sunday afternoon was no better or worse than the usual Russian and European fare found throughout the city, the restaurant seemed oddly unprepared for lunch guests.

Sampling from both the Russian and European sides of the menu, the red caviar (350 rubles, $11.50), served with blini, was nothing to complain about. The Caesar salad with shrimp ($450 rubles, $14.80) was a surprise hit, beautifully plated with a skewer of grilled shrimp and an artful swirl of pesto and balsamic vinegar. The shrimps were fresh and well seasoned, and the salad, while heavily dressed, hit home with large shreds of Parmesan and pleasant notes of garlic and anchovy.

The harried waiter, who would return to our table throughout the course of the meal to inform us that, regrettably, something we had chosen was unavailable, offered his deepest condolences when we ordered a bottle of still water. Duly informed that sparkling water was the only kind to be found behind the bar, we settled instead on cappuccinos (150 rubles, $5).

The beef stroganoff (470 rubles, $15.50) — offered in place of the missing house cutlet — was filling but bland; a hearty, creamy dish of beef, onions, mushrooms, and slivers of pickle and parsley, served with mashed potatoes. The mushrooms in the pasta with white mushrooms (350 rubles, $11.50) were woody and flavorful, but the dish was, on the whole, unremarkable.

Dessert, sadly, is entirely worth skipping. After ordering strudel because it was the only thing on the menu that was available, we were then told that, in fact, panna cotta (200 rubles, $6.60) was the only dessert they could offer us. While appealingly presented with swirls of raspberry sauce decorating the plate — the chef seems to have a flair for presentation — the dessert was altogether bizarre, with an unpleasantly chewy texture and only the barest hint of vanilla flavor.

The restaurant claims to offer a kids’ menu of soups and hot and cold snacks on both the Russian and European pages of the menu.

Despite the absurdist moments, the restaurant is not without its charms. With its location down a few stairs from street level, the atmosphere is distinctly Russian and kitschy, but with the spirit of authenticity. A Russian tea set, complete with samovar, is out for display on a round table in the center of the room. Black and white prints, art deco paintings and statuettes of peasant girls decorate the walls and booths. It feels like the sort of place where a sulky Raskolnikov would have prowled, glowering at the other customers (had there been any).

The name of the restaurant is taken from the year the original building was constructed by the chief architect of the “Commission of Stone Structures in St. Petersburg and Moscow,” Ivan Yegorovich Starov, and served as his own family home. There, Starov is said to have entertained such illustrious company as the artists F.D. Danilov and F.I. Shubin in the early 19th century. In 1879, it was renovated to resemble something close to its present-day appearance.

The restaurant offers live music in the “St. Petersburg style” from 8 p.m. onwards every night except Sundays and Mondays. That, at least, they seem prepared for — the main dining room focuses on a stage drawn with a red curtain. The restaurant even recommends calling ahead to reserve seats, as some nights the place is apparently very popular.

After you’ve claimed your seat you can sip on wine ranging from 1,300 to 3,700 rubles a bottle ($42.90-$122) — but the jury’s still out on whether or not they have any of the 18,900-ruble Cristal in stock. Cocktails, beer and the usual spirits are also on offer.

For a bit of local color, a splash of history and an apologetic wait staff, 1780 may be worth checking out for a relaxed concert and a bite to eat — provided you’re willing to make some concessions.