The Ermitage in Trubnaia Plastchad has a great reputation in Moscow for
its cuisine, and is the favourite restaurant and resort of the upper
class; it has an imposing general luncheon and dining-hall, also
separate saloons for private dinner-parties. Most of the official
banquets are held here.
The cost of a luncheon, with choice of any two dishes from a list of
fifteen or twenty, is 1 rouble.
Dinners can be had for--
1 rouble 25 kopeks (6 courses) or
2 roubles 25 " (8 courses)
The restaurants are generally open till about 2 A.M.
The numerous waiters are dressed in white on week days, on Sundays and
feast days in coloured silk Tartar dresses. A large orchestrion plays
from time to time during meals.
This restaurant has three head _chefs_ and thirty-eight _chefs_, besides
_patissiers_ and all the smaller fry of the kitchen. The store-rooms for
game, etc., form one of the sights of Moscow, and should be seen. There
is a service of Sevres china, which is very beautiful, and on which
dinners are served on very special occasions. An extra charge, and a
high one, is made for the use of this.
The Ermitage is unlike any other restaurant in the world in many
respects. There is an admirable cellar of wines, and it is not a place
for a man to give a big dinner at unless he is prepared to encounter a
very big bill.
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