Back in 1938, when social circles in Russia were teeming with soviet spies, there opened a restaurant in Moscow that oftentimes hosted these distinguished personnel. Those were the days of extreme diplomacy and secrecy and walls without ears were more than welcome. Such was the reputation of the Aragvi restaurant, located Tverskaya Street. It took nearly $20 million to restore the haunt to its former glory but now it stands all ready and accommodating for those willing to spend an evening in history.
The construction of the restaurant was under the directive of Stalin’s chief of security Lavrenty Beria for officials from the NKVD agency, which was later named to KGB. Then came the 1960s liberal ‘Thaw’ period and Nikita Khrushchev influenced authors and artists to frequent the joint. While the restaurant made its mark in history, not everyone who wanted to dine here could afford meal, thanks to exorbitant prices. Even mentioning the name of a couple of the dishes cooked here would elevate one’s social standing.
In 1991 the restaurant was privatized and kept changing hands till it closed down in 2003. But not for long. The Aragvi, which is named after a Georgian river opened its doors again in the same premises that once housed Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov. The décor reminisces the soviet influence while the cuisine includes Georgian dishes such as khinkali meat dumplings and khachapuri cheesed bread.
While the restaurant is still out of reach for those who do not have sufficient money to bathe in its historic significance, a visit to the recruiting den of KGB agents will be one experience never to be forgotten.
[ Via : Luxuo ]
