Budweiser Budvar has an excellent location in relation to the Dobrininskaya metro stop. You really cannot miss it when you come out of the metro – might take a bit of looking, but only a small bit. We, however, went there by car since the traffic forecast was good. Look up the relative location on Yandex or Google, and, even by car, Budweiser Budvar is easy to find, and Parking is generally abundant on side streets.

The venue, to note, has four distinct sitting areas – first floor is a secluded and quiet cigar lounge, second floor is divided into a bar with sitting and a sports bar type area with a very large TV projector, and there is a secluded summer courtyard area available as well.

While I seem to only notice music at restaurants when it so horribly bad or loud that you cannot have a normal conversation, this was not the case at Budweiser Budvar. The ambient atmosphere was just right for a relaxed, casual dinner environment – we were treated to a Phil Collins concert DVD at just the right volume with all the hits.

Budweiser Budvar also hosts many sporting events in its sport lounge – I can imagine that it is very active when big soccer matches are shown live. I myself will give it a look when the Olympics and World Cup will be in town, especially since the time zone will be local!

Another small point that is becoming more important to many diners – Budweiser Budvar does a superb job at managing second-hand smoke. That is, you do not feel it, and – even if you smoke – this is a nice touch to be able to enjoy your meal and drinks without interference. Budweiser Budvar also has a fast Wi-Fi connection so that you can be online without headache, also a big plus.

The menu is a mix of solid favorites and eclectic Czech inspired dishes, as well as a stable of Czech beers on draft. I chose the Budweiser Budvar Light (240 RUB) to start the night, fully intending to try one or two more beers as the meal progressed. My dinner date went with light roibush strawberry tea (160 RUB for .5L) and freshly squeezed apple (190 RUB) and carrot (190 RUB) juices. Drinks came quickly and supplemented the already relaxing evening atmosphere.

For appetizers a diner can quickly become overwhelmed by the variety of dishes offered. Cold appetizers range from carpacho, salmon seviche, goose liver and onions, cheese assortments, meat assortments, mushrooms, and various fish offerings. We settled on a fried cheese dish (470 RUB) that complemented nicely our salad with lightly cooked fresh tuna steak (360 RUB) and salad with fresh red tomatoes (450 RUB). The tuna was cooked to savory and salivary perfection – and I am not a big fish lover – and the tomato salad was perfect as well. We were also served a mix of fresh rolls and butter (210 RUB) that went well with both the appetizers and main dishes.

Ordering the main entrees presented the same quandary of choice. To wit, Budweiser Budvar’s large selection covers a wide swath of culinary tastes and, again, this would make it a favorable place for a large group to dine precisely for this reason.

Since we were a party of two, the grilled sausage and meat feasts were going to have to wait. Ditto for the seafood assortments on the neighboring page of the menu, as difficult as all types of seafood is for my dining partner to deny. Budweiser Budvar has an array of other offerings ranging from duck, beef, pork, chicken, and lamb – most of which is grilled over wood coals – but, quite frankly, we did not get past the first page of the specials in the menu because they jump right out and say, “Pick me, pick me!”

My dining partner was tortured between choosing the shrimp brochette (850 RUB), tuna steak (880 RUB), trout steak (580 RUB), or salmon steak (580 RUB). I suggested that we order a sampler of all four – she said, “Yeah right, and say no to shrimp? The more shrimp, the better!” Therefore, shrimp brochette with a freshly grilled skewer of vegetables (230 RUB) was the fare for the evening.

I jumped at the opportunity for a savory filet mignon (1180 RUB) that I was told would be cooked to perfection. The filet was supplemented with another big glass of Shpaten beer (290 RUB) and fried potatoes and mushrooms (160 RUB), an all-time favorite of mine from days spent in various bush camps across Siberia.

Our entrees arrived with perfect timing, were piping hot, and the presentation was mouth-watering. My lovely partner was gracious enough to allow me one of her shrimp that was a savory foil to my filet mignon. On both accounts, these dishes were five stars.

The grand finale dessert was my favorite – Cheesecake (320 RUB) – and a dark chocolate cake (420 RUB), complemented with standard fares of Americano coffee (110 RUB) and a refreshment of the previous roibush tea. Although we were both already satiated, we took our time, enjoyed the relaxation, and slowly indulged in the desserts – thus, a perfect climax to a Budweiser Budvar summer evening.

In closing, and without reservation, I highly recommend Budweiser Budvar. Take the time to enjoy your culinary timeout at Budweiser Budvar, and you will walk away lightly and pleasantly refreshed like we did.

04.08.11