a window on paris at garcon
by Tom Masters
Fresh lilies, low lighting and comfortable, candle-lit booths greeted us at Bistro Garcon, a French restaurant that opened earlier this year just off Ploshchad Vosstania. Not so much a theme restaurant as the real McCoy, much of Bistrot Garcon - including its head chef, Patrick Grandgien - comes direct from France, particularly the interior, which is made up of retro-chic advertising boards plundered from 1950s Paris. The staff are painfully polite (something I just can't get used to in Russia) and the pozhaluista count was already off the scale by the time we had ordered. We sat drinking beers ($1.80 each) and devouring baskets of freshly baked baguette while watching our food being prepared through an open hatch - an experience that can be quite off-putting in a stolovaya, but one that is both reassuring and enjoyable in such an obviously professional establishment. Indeed, anyone bored of dubious misnomers on Russian menus such as govyadina po-frantsuzsky will be glad to see a truly authentic range of French dishes, including steak tartar, fresh oysters, escargots, foie gras, a range of French cheese and a large wine list. As a starter, my companion opted for the soupe au pistou ($4), while I found my curiosity insisted on salade canaille ($6) which was described on the menu as a "provocative combination" of sliced tomatoes, asparagus, onions, banana slices, rice, celery sticks and lettuce covered in fresh cream and lemon juice. The soupe au pistou - country vegetable soup served with spaghetti, basil leaves and olive oil paste - was brimming with flavor and went down extremely well with the French bread. I am not sure how provocative I found the salade canaille, but it was a strangely pleasant blend of sweet and savory and I chided myself for never having combined asparagus and banana before in my unadventurous life. However, the focus of the meal was on the main courses, which were brought to us on large porcelain trays and which both seemed to combine at least two dishes. My "Pork Andalusian Style" ($12) was sumptuous, filet mignon sauteed and served with eggplants, cubes of tomato and ham, chipolatas and green peppers stuffed with rice - an overwhelming array of diverse tastes, both strong and subtle. My companion ordered Chicken Supreme with "Musketeer Sauce" ($8) - sauteed chicken cooked in white wine with cayenne pepper and served with tagliatelli. The musketeer sauce turned out to be thick provencale mayonnaise, but there were no complaints; in fact my co-diner was moved to pronounce that it was the best meal she had eaten in her six months in Russia. We rounded off the meal with espressos ($2 each), which were of equally high standard. Paying the bill by Master Card, however, we were reminded that we were indeed still in Russia, as attempt after attempt to process the debit failed. Our unbelievably apologetic waiter encouraged us to read one of many back issues of Paris-Match, and we whiled away a good 20 minutes with Jonny Halliday's love affairs, Grimaldi weddings and the Blair's latest child before the staff finally gave up and asked me to visit an ATM. A brief excursion to the Mos kov sky Vokzal later, and we left Bistrot Garcon's quiet warmth and friendly staff, and both agreed to come back (with cash) next year. Bistrot Garson, 95 Nevsky Prospect. Open daily. Dinner for two with a modicum of alcohol, 1,100 rubles ($40). All major credit cards accepted (theoretically). Tel. 277-24-67.
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