TASTE AND GOOD CONVERSATION:
From dusk till dawn
For over 200 years, linguists haven’t been able to figure out where the word “cocktail” comes from. There are so many versions, it’s easy to get confused. But the Mercedes Bar in Moscow, which is located in the very beginning of the elite Kutuzovsky Prospekt, is no place for discussions about linguistics. Nobody argues about cocktails there; they work on making the magical concoctions and serve them to connoisseurs of the exquisite drink.
It’s hard to find a more fitting place for fans of cocktails than the location of this bar. Because a cocktail is a drink for the soul, not for the stomach. And the building Mercedes Bar is located in definitely has soul. The bar can be found on the 31st floor of one of the famous Stalin high-rise buildings that was constructed on the bank of the Moscow River back in 1957. It used to be home to Hotel Ukraina. After the building was fully renovated in 2009, the gorgeous Radisson Royal Hotel opened its doors there.
The view of Moscow from the 31st floor is simply breathtaking. The huge windows, which stretch from the floor to the ceiling, overlook just about every attraction in the city – the futuristic skyscrapers of Moscow City, the golden domes of the Church of Christ the Savior, the White House, the majestic Victory Park, and Sparrow Hills. The bar opens its doors at six o’clock in the evening every night, and stays open until six in the morning. So when you’re at the bar, you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of Moscow from sundown to sunrise. Inside, the establishment features an Art Deco interior design.
A mindblowing view plus mindblowing cocktails. What else do you need for an unforgettable evening in Moscow?
Everybody can find a cocktail they like at the bar. The drinks contain anywhere between 4 to 68% alcohol by volume, and there are non-alcoholic drinks as well. The bar also features special for different holidays. There are cocktails for Victory Day (May 9), Defender of the Fatherland Day (February 23), International Women’s Day (March 8), for New Year’s. Plus, there are seasonal drinks too, like “Golden Fall.” A particular point of pride is the 30 house specials – cocktails that are related to the Mercedes-Benz brand. The thing is that Mercedes Bar is a joint project by the Ginza Project and Mercedes-Benz RUS. Here are some of the car-related cocktails listed on the menu. There is the Mercedes-Maybach cocktail, which is made with bourbon, blueberry liqueur, cilantro, fructose syrup, and lime juice. The Mercedes E-Class cocktail has dark rum, pomegranate fresh, mixed spices, vanilla syrup, and lime juice. One of the more expensive car-themes drinks, the 600 “Grand Mercedes,” is made with rum, orange liqueur, fructose syrup, lime juice, raspberry, and blueberry. And of course, a cocktail like this must be accompanied by a special dessert from the auto corporation!
Overall, the experienced bartenders here can make any cocktail – both classics and original creations. Even if a client has their own recipe for their favorite cocktail, the bartenders will be able to make it. In order to avoid mistakes, the bartenders always try the cocktails before serving them. “We make about 2,500 different cocktails a month,” says Artyom Averin, the head bartender. These cocktails include drinks that you can’t try anywhere outside the Mercedes Bar. These cocktails are made out of specialty drinks. They are prepared by the bartenders, who work on them as if they were true alchemists! Here are some of their infusions: vodka infused with saffron, bourbon infused with beeswax, and rum infused with fried sawdust and black pepper. Aside from the infusions, the bartenders also make original decorations for the cocktails that look like real works of art. “For us, the most important thing is taste and good conversation,” Artyom Averin says about the bar’s philosophy.
The cocktail menu isn’t the only thing that meets the highest standards here. There are also appetizers, soups, main courses, and desserts. Food is prepared by chef Artyom Sergeev, who has worked in various Moscow restaurants under famous French Michelin-star chefs for many years. He has been with the Mercedes Bar since 2012. The dishes Artyom Sergeev makes can be considered true “creations,” and it seems there is no limit to his imagination. Artyom’s biggest inspiration is his family, music, and trips to foreign countries, which help broaden his horizons and get fresh ideas for new dishes.
The Mercedes Bar menu features Japanese dishes, Italian desserts and cheeses, oysters, and caviar, along with burgers, ribeye steak, and chicken burgers.
Yes, these guys have set the bar quite high, literally!
