Liquor Cafe receives new life and awaits customers

at seem to have all that’s necessary to become really popular – location, concept, design, menu, and yet they don’t seem to make it. That’s because the real key to success is good management. It’s all that’s needed to turn almost any joint into a hot spot in Kyiv. And this is exactly what’s currently happening with Liquor Cafe, after new manager, Frenchman Jeremie Blaise (formerly the manager of the late bar Klyuch), stepped in to try and bring it back to life.

Located right next do several embassies and the Raddisson SAS hotel, the place boasts mid-range prices and an original interior. You might not think that just looking at it from the street, but once you enter and go down the steps, you’ll find yourself facing the elevator door. You arrive at a door which opens once you press the button.

Behind the door you’ll find yourself one the upper level of the restaurant. You can stay upstairs and take a seat at on of the tables there, or head downstairs where the main action is. There, in the hall with the stylish bar coupled with white stools you can choose among several options. You can sit on a sofa facing the fake windows with plasma panels inside showing running waves of the sea or a 24-hour footage of a spot in Kyiv. Another option is a kind of VIP lounge which includes several tables on a platform concealed by curtains, and finally there is a Karaoke room.

The popularity of Liquor Cafe is already growing fast, partly due to the fact the new manager is bringing in a lot of his friends and former clientele, and partly due to the improvements he’s making. According to Jeremie, he had to do a lot of work with the staff – which was one of the things holding back the cafe, and there is still more to do, but it’s already working more efficiently.

The menu doesn’t appear too original however, it doesn’t have any specific concept, yet it’s a nice collection of European dishes. There is veal and salmon carpaccio, greek salad (served with raw champignons) and Cesar salad (a generous serving with bits of smoked and fried chicken). Also, check out a selection of approximately five soups, a menu of classic steaks, several kids of spaghetti and a risotto, plus a wide ranging list of meat and fish dishes.

I was told that champignon cream soup (Hr 32) was one of the best things on the menu, and never the one to refuse a cream soup of mushrooms I gladly ordered it. I added to that another hit on the menu – chicken rolls with spinach and chanterelles (Hr 49). My friend picked a salad with duck breast and confit apples (Hr 75), and grilled pike perch (Hr 82).

The mushroom soup was really great with a strong champignon flavor and thick creamy consistency. The portion was quite big, and can serve as a meal in itself if you’re not too hungry.

The chicken rolls arrived with a sauce which made the chicken rolls juicy and complimented the taste. My friend enjoyed her salad – the combination of fried pieces of duck breast and apples confit was simply perfect, and the lettuce served as a nice addition to the mixture. The pike perch was served with tartar sauce – perhaps not too original, but a great choice for fish, and a garnish of asparagus sticks and fried scallops lying on top.

Done with the meal we enjoyed sipping on our cocktails – Pink Pussycat (a mix of rum, grenadine and grapefruit juice) for my friend a Long Island Ice Tea for me, and after a bit we decided we should try some desserts as well. Liquor’s sweets menu was quite long, featuring pies – apple and pear, cheesecake, ice cream and other sweets. After careful consideration, I selected chocolate souffle with ice cream. The souffle was baked on the outside and soft inside, with an ice-cream ball on top. With the ice cream melting quickly it all soon turned into a mess on my plate, yet I cleaned it up as much as I could – it was delicious. My friend was having cannoli “Sicily” – a traditional Italian dessert of fried pastry dough tubes filled with ricotta-based cream. I can’t say if they were prepared according to the classical Sicilian recipe – I had them only once before in Rome, yet they were just fine – savory, original and not too sweet. A fan of cocktails (as you could have noticed already) I picked a Pina Colada (Hr 49) to have with my dessert.

Because we were having our dinner on a Wednesday, and no one was planning to stay up too late, there was no Karaoke that night. But we’ll surely do it soon.

Alexandra Matoshko can be reached at matoshko@kpmedia.ua or 496-4563

 

Liquor Cafe (19 Yaroslaviv Val, 235-4545). Open 11 a.m. till 6 a.m.

English menu: Yes

English-speaking staff: Yes

Average meal: Hr 150