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Darbar(s): Indian Bastion with Views at Leninsky Avenue.

Дарбарс, Москва, Россия / 19 июня 2017

Yes, yes, yes… “Darbar” is not what it used to be and everything.

You know what? Neither do we get younger. You long for things that were around not even in the 2010s, but in the 2000s.

You’re being nostalgic about time long before the death of “Goa” and “Maharaja”, when the very first Moscow restaurants were still alive. Oh please! That’s already remote past.

Now look around! Where are you going to have Indian food when all of a sudden you find yourself in a pinch (indeed, does happen regularly)?

In a new kind of trendy hipster shitty place for teenagers with failed taste buds? Yeah, right.

Of course, it became less authentic, etc, and no doubt that talking about Indian food outside India is like comparing warm to soft, but come on! It’s still tasty in here. There’s still static time hanging in the air, the sunset, which you can watch from both sides, is still wonderful, the prices are still good, and you get that feeling that your head is kind of spinning because of all those years that have vanished into nothing but it’s part of the show. Stay strong!

Everything is as it used to be many years ago, but now it’s like you’re watching the new season of “Twin Peaks” keeping in mind the previous one. The location is an infernal hotel with “Komsomol-security guards” behind the desk on the first floor. What’s that supposed to mean? Obviously, it isn’t a reception.

Behind them there is a turn and an elevator carries you up to the 16th floor. Then there is a corridor, narrow stairs, a corridor again, and glass doors. Finally, you are inside. The place is unique. For such a place many Moscow restaurants would give a lot. It is a long pencil case with windows on both sides. You see both the Russian Academy of Sciences and the City, the rarest thing for Moscow!

We sit down.

The waiters, whether they’re Hindus, whether not, don’t speak Russian (at least half of them), however, they speak English and that is nice.

We ordered three curries, grilled shrimps/mutton, raita, cheese naans and saffron rice.

The only obvious problem is the grill. Kind of not their thing.

The rest, specifically the curry, for our city is perfect (please, see the first part of this article).

Riata and cheese naans are also ok.

Generally, regarding Indian food there’s not much to write about, especially if you aren’t in something like “Trishna” in Bombay. Everybody knows it’s either good or not. What we have here is the former case.

The rest is described above, do enjoy!

Дарбарс, Москва, Россия