Classical Chinese philosophy will tell you that a meal should not only be a harmonious balance of dishes - it should also be enjoyed away from the thumping beat of music, and in the pleasant company of a few favourite friends. These wise and noble precepts are widely disregarded in Moscow, where "fusion" and fashion have supplanted them - but the rather unlikely location of Zubovsky Boulevard (where the Garden Ring swells to five lanes either side) holds the secret to this ancient serenity. It's probably no accident that Dynastia's Head Chef hails from Shanghai - one of the few world cities to outdo Moscow for population density and inner-city hubbub. Step inside its doors and leave Moscow behind - inside you'll find the sophisticated elegance of Chinese classical culture. The dining-room is decorated in calm and soothing tones of Chinese elegance, and conversations in hushed tones of the well-shod are the hallmark of its atmosphere. The menu is entirely a la carte, and there are no "set menus" to aid your through the ordering process. This is a two-edged sword, as not everyone is familiar with the classics of Chinese cuisine, nor with the way it's ordered in China. Soups, for example, are always the final dish in China, even today - a tribute to the ancient days when land-living Chinese people prepared all their dishes in one wok, and the final soup was a delicious broth of the left-overs, bones, & wok-juices too precious to go to waste with the Fairy Liquid. Dynastia's cuisine leaves the dishes authentically Chinese - but the ordering process is at the European client's choice.

Anyone with a susceptibility to coronary failure should glance at the wine-list with the greatest care - there are more zeros than you'd expect in the national industrial output of the People's Republic. The good news, however, is that no-one in China orders wine with their meal anyhow - Chinese food goes best with Chinese beer, or with green tea, so you can leave the wine in the cellar. If you still hanker after some wine, though, the even better news is that the more affordable bottles on the stratospheric wine-list come in around 1500 RUR, for exactly the kind of high-dry Italian wines which partner Chinese food best. We passed-up on wine, beer and tea, and opted for the cocktail list instead. The Long Island Iced Tea passed muster at 450 RUR, but the Lychee-tini (350 RUR) packed such a powerful punch that Mrs Torheit asked for something else instead... the charming wait-staff quickly came along with a Mohito to replace it, and didn't charge us either. Some nibbles (prawn crackers?) might have been nice here, but the menu eschews such fripperies. The appetisers were on the table with such rapidity, however, that we barely missed the nibbles. Tiger Shrimp in Wasabi Sauce (550 RUR) is no light-hearted matter, and the pungent wasabi is the real deal - strictly for fans of hot, though. The waitress-recommended Spring Rolls with Minced Black Cod (450 RUR) defied the expectation of battle-hardened batter briquettes, and were an unexpectedly tender treat. Mrs Torheit could barely be restrained from ordering the Shark's Fin Soup - and these were fins for which you'd need to push your own boat out at 750 RUR per tiny bowlful. But just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water - well, it was, and so little shark-meat was discernible that the lifeguards were scarcely perturbed. The Clear Mushroom Soup (270 RUR) was an entirely different prospect - teeming with an abundance of multifarious mushroomy content.

Business takes me to China once or twice per year, and in that time I've learned at least one piece of wisdom about Chinese cuisine - main dishes come portioned for a party of diners, and a happy group of 7-8 people will usually order the same number of dishes... and share them. Pity, however, the lone or duo diner, whose dinner comprises a very large amount of just 1-2 dishes. This is where I become offside with Dynastia's approach, which is follows the classical Chinese model scrupulously... it's too much of just 1-2 things for those dining alone or with a companion, although for banquets it's a winning formula. The Frog's Legs with Thick Soy Sauce (630 RUR) begin charmingly, but are still resolutely the same twenty minutes later.. the same can be mostly said of the Ma Po Bean Curd with King Crab Meat (680 RUR), despite its alluring presentation in a parchment-folded bowl. Rice, in China, would be at the heart of the meal - we ordered it as a side-dish for 120 RUR. With all due deference to ancient tradition, I can't help thinking that Dynastia ought to consider offering some Set Meal menus that offer a more varied (and authentic) mixture of dishes for diners who arrive in smaller groups than Municipal Committees?

We parted company with tradition over the desserts (which don't appear in most Chinese mainland restaurants anyhow) - Mrs Torheit couldn't be restrained from the Trio of Creme-Brulees (Mango, Lemon-Grass, Vanilla, 550 RUR). I limited myself to an Espresso at 120 RUR.

Dynastia offers the truly authentic tastes and experiences of a Chinese meal, as it would be served in China (although, admittedly, for a greatly higher price). Gourmet lovers of Chinese cuisine, and the peaceful atmosphere in which it is classically served, would find Dynastia a quiet and serene oasis in which to enjoy this sophisticated pleasure.

22.11.09