THE DISH: Sviter s Olenyami

Sviter s Olenyami//22 Canal Griboyedova//Tel. 314 5800//Menu in Russian and English//Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.//Dinner for two with alcohol 2,040 ($62)

By Daniel Kozin

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: September 12, 2012 (Issue # 1726)

Hanging with reindeers

Russia is changing before our very eyes and taste buds.

Dozens of restaurants, cafes and bars have been mushrooming in St. Petersburg in recent months that defy all stereotypes about the Russian restaurant business. Their clients share marked similarities: Young, Westernized, well dressed, “indie” and with a certain disposable income. Most importantly, this emerging social class has tastes and expectations that are a step ahead of the average Russian consumer.

Their demands for a corresponding food experience are being heard, as emphatically felt in the newly opened Sviter s Olenyami (Reindeer Sweater) on Canal Griboyedova.

Cheekily describing itself as a “hoax hipster buffet,” it is infused with the hipster aesthetic in a move sure to delight the self-mocking and irony-obsessed demographic. There is no doubt about who is targeted here; the establishment’s name itself is both a celebration and jest directed at the most popular clothing accessory of the new fashion-conscious youth.

Add to this young personnel and clients carefully pruned into skinny jeans and square rimmed glasses, and a hodgepodge interior combining retro carpets, a wooden deer head, pixilated pop-art portraits and a pillar wrapped in Grandma’s oversized snowflake sweater.

The eclecticism does not stop here, for the establishment has graciously provided flat screen TVs that play a mix of pre-color art house films without sound or subtitles just in case life starts to seem too mundane for restless clients. For a touch of humor be sure to head to the restroom, where you can spend ample time gagging over Internet memes that play on 19th-century social scenes.

This is not to say that visitors unenlightened in the quirks of modern youth culture will not enjoy themselves. The interior, though whacky, paradoxically lends a sense of (ironic) harmony and wholeness. Two rooms make up the setting for the cool kids crowd: The smoking room in the back is dimmed, lit only by modern orange lamps hanging down from the glossy black glass ceiling over each wooden table, while the room in the front provides a cozy view of the Kazan Cathedral and a well organized space for tweeting or gossiping to a soundtrack of Norah Jones, samba, lounge, post-punk, ethnic African music, and more.

The diversity theme is continued by the menu, which will satisfy even the most non-conformist of food connoisseurs: Finger food, tapas, five categories of main dishes including pan-Asian and Italian, and burgers, as well as fusion appetizers, salads, soups and desserts. Dishes are conveniently priced by category, which helps somewhat with the overwhelming choices offered.

Appetizers (30 rubles, $1) were well presented and took just the right amount of time to arrive, lending confidence to their freshness. While the bruschetta with tomato, pesto and pine nuts was unexciting and on the bland side, the cupcake with mushrooms and spinach rewarded us for our curiosity; the unusual concoction was delightfully moist, warm and creamy, with sweetish soft dough surrounding a tender and juicy fungi-filled center.

Next up in our experimentation was the “doll” salad (220 rubles, $7.30): Fresh and crispy, with large strips of grilled chicken, grilled watermelon, cubes of orange, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and spinach in a light orange dressing. The Thai tom yam kung soup with shrimp (190 rubles, $6.30) was equally interesting: Sweet, sour, spicy and salty in equal measure, though it may seem overpowering for those used to Russian cuisine.

Having been surprised by the creative take on appetizers, the biggest surprise was yet to come. Our party had been taking its time with appetizers, and a natural worry crept in that the waiter had forgotten about the main course. When prompted, we were delighted to hear that he was waiting for our signal. Such professionalism is rare in similarly priced establishments, and is yet another sign of service that caters particularly and perfectly to the demands of the new generation of Russians: Helpful when prompted, non-intrusive and professional.

The khao pad kap kung pork with jasmine rice (340 rubles, $11.30) came in due time, combining tender pork in a sweet teriyaki-like sauce with red and yellow peppers and pineapple, topped off with fresh bean sprouts.

The pumpkin cheesecake with strawberry sauce (220 rubles, $7.30) had the most potential for an anti-climatic finish, but the risk more than paid off. This was no cottage cheese imitator! A fresh, creative take on an American classic, it resembled a mix between a pumpkin pie and a New York cheesecake.

Add to this an extensive cocktail list and live music on most evenings, and the demands of young urban Russians for decent hangouts are finally being met. Who knows, maybe political change is next on the menu.