The first thing you see is a neon sign, and then a tall bookcase showcasing the iconic Soviet-era 200-volume World Literature Library, its tomes organized by color. These are the prime draws for the Instagram bloggers and gastro fanatics who are flocking to a new restaurant on Velyka Vasylkivska Street.
It’s called Zhizn Zamechatelnykh Lyudey, which simply means “The life of wonderful people.” That might be a mouthful for a foreigner, so just do as the locals do and use the shortened name they have already come up with – Zh-Z-L.
It is a reference to a series of biography books of the same name that was popular in the Soviet Union and is still being published in Russia.
Mere weeks after opening in December, news about this place dominated my Facebook feed, including reams of positive reviews that included heavy usage of the word “best.” My friend and I decided to check how it feels to live the life wonderful – if we could get a table, of course.
We went in for breakfast on Saturday morning and barely squeezed in, bagging two seats at the bar. The place was already crammed at 11 a.m. It was even hard to get in and out of the restaurant because people were constantly taking pictures right at the entrance.
The interior is rather eclectic: old-style Soviet furniture, mixed with modern stuff, with art on the walls, pots with greenery, Buddha statues, and cotton flowers in simple glass vases. The neon signs – there are a couple of them in the restaurant – bring a touch of Americana.
Another Instagram-worthy spot, as we discovered, is the huge bar, with its shelves of bottles stretching to the ceiling. There’s a wooden ladder there, which waiters use to climb fearlessly to the very top shelf to fetch some treasured tipple. Watching them do so is an entertainment in itself.
“Ok, this is the first time I’ve had breakfast sitting at a bar,” my friend said, looking around. A man sitting next to us laughed as he polished off his oatmeal. But dining in close proximity to other customers and the waiters had its advantages. We were able to order everything first and then enjoy a friendly chat with them.
Browsing over the menu took some time: it caters best to health-conscious diners with a love of Middle Eastern cuisine. There is a wide range of fish and vegetarian options, and it’s easy to get a bit overwhelmed by the choice at first. However, the staff proved very knowledgeable, and came up with some good suggestions based on our preferences.
I went for a rich chocolate casserole topped with vanilla ice cream (Hr 98), and it was as good as it sounds. Tasty and substantial, it left a wonderful aftertaste and was probably big enough for two to share. The waiter suggested washing it down with raf coffee, in which milk and cream are whipped together with espresso. The drink (Hr 65) was delicate and rounded off my meal perfectly.
My friend began with the popular Israeli breakfast option shakshouka, which means “all mixed up” in Hebrew. This dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce was accompanied by a soft hummus and eggplant salad (Hr 115). It got a solid A from my companion, who’s a huge fan of Israeli food.
She decided to order a ciabatta on the side to finish off the nutty-flavored hummus.
Among the huge cocktail selection, such as Grey Goose Old Fashioned with Earl Grey tea syrup (Hr 140), Thai Coconut for Hr 139, King’s Medicine with pineapple juice and rosemary (Hr 166) and others, my friend couldn’t find her favorite Aperol Spritz. However, with a winning smile, the waiter told her not to worry: the cocktail arrived a couple of minutes later and lived up to her best expectations.
The price of cocktails here is a bit higher than average (Hr 139 – 166), but they’re worth it.
In short, Zh-Z-L is not a great place for an intimate conversation, but ideal for a loud crowd out to celebrate the good life, great food and quality drinks.
