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(The Russian headline puns on the idiom "заморить червячка" — literally "to starve the little worm", meaning "to grab a bite and take the edge off your hunger". Here the worm is replaced by a dragon.)

A medieval tavern the locals call "the Tallinn McDonald's"

In the centre of Tallinn there is an unusual establishment, III Draakon. The locals jokingly call it the Tallinn version of McDonald's, but we never did manage to understand this piece of Estonian humour — because what we are talking about is an atmospheric medieval tavern.

In the "Third Dragon" they have recreated and keep up the colour of the 15th century, so if you want to eat the way people ate 500 years ago, walk boldly into the small, gloomy little place that has settled into the old courtroom of Tallinn's Town Hall.

No electricity, no menu, no cutlery

It is gloomy not because of the service, but because of the styling: stone walls, low ceilings, wooden tables and benches, an immersion into darkness — there is no electricity here, and Wi-Fi all the less so. And there are none of the waiters we are used to either, no menu, no cutlery — everything done honestly, just as it was five centuries ago.

The establishment's special trick is considered to be the manner of speaking with the guests: not polite, the way it is today, but the way it was 500 years ago — full of high spirits! It is a whole theatre, a place you can come to for the emotions. The lady of the house announces the dishes and advises on what is best to try.

Elk soup, game pies and ox ribs from the medieval menu

The range is small, but any tourist will be able to choose viands from the menu of the Middle Ages. As a first course, for example, try the elk soup, which is served in a clay bowl. Next, take pies to any taste: with cabbage, carrot, apple, spinach, the meat of domestic animals and the meat of wild animals (boar and elk). My favourites are the ones with wild game and with carrot. For those who have worked up a serious appetite, I would advise paying attention to the sausages or the ox ribs. The drinks here are medieval too: dark beer out of clay jugs, pear cider, lingonberry mors (a berry drink), and homemade juniper and caraway liqueurs.

Hunting pickles with a birch stick

And while you are waiting for the dishes you have ordered, play the amusement laid on for tourists — the hunt for cucumbers. In the tavern there stands a barrel of salted cucumbers, which every visitor can fish out for themselves. But there is a nuance: you will have to hook them with a birch stick with two nails on the end. It is no easy task, especially when there are few cucumbers left in the barrel, but the thrill of the catch is guaranteed!

Fact box

WHAT: the medieval little restaurant III Draakon.

WHERE: Estonia, Tallinn, Town Hall Square.

TIP: during the day there is usually a long queue at the "Third Dragon", so it is better to go there for a late dinner, when the main flow of tourists dies down.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 134 · Tallinn, Estonia. Original title: “ЗАМОРИТЬ ДРАКОНА”.

WHAT: the medieval restaurant Rozengrāls.

WHERE: the centre of Riga's Old Town, Rozena 1.

Strolling around Riga, looking at its historic buildings, on the very narrowest street — Rozena — you will see an enormous barrel set into the wall. That means you have arrived! At the entrance to the little restaurant Rozengrāls you will be met by a doorman in medieval clothing, and he will invite you in. Say yes — and plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

Wine cellars of 1293 that became an underground museum

In 1293 there were wine cellars on this spot, in which banquets were held, deals were struck and the representatives of the Riga authorities met, and every agreement reached in those cellars was sealed with a goblet of wine. Today the restaurant Rozengrāls (spelled «Розенграль» in the Russian text) stands within these walls. And you can safely call it a restaurant-museum underground: five halls with four-metre ceilings, Gothic vaults; a surviving medieval well and an element of the defensive wall of 1201 — all the premises take up two city blocks. Here there is candlelight, and the delicious victuals, to live music in the medieval manner, are served by staff in stylised costume. Every dish on the menu comes with its own historical note!

Every dish comes with its own history

So, the story of the beloved salad of Jacques de Molay has it that the dish for the Grand Master of the Order of the Templars was made from roast beef, salad leaves and Parmesan cheese, dressed with vinegar infused with herbs. And the Old French onion soup is one of the dishes that were served at the receptions of John Woodville in the 15th century. Duck meat from the oven with cherry-and-onion jam was one of the most beloved dishes of King René of Anjou, who staged the famous tournaments. A particular pride of the restaurant is the suckling pig, cooked on a spit to a medieval recipe. It is salted with the addition of fragrant herbs and aromatic spices, aged in cold cellars, and then for eight hours, under the unflagging supervision of the head chef, it is cooked over alder chips, turning on the spit. And do try the catfish fillet with which King Louis XIV of France treated his friends at the boisterous feasts of the middle of the 17th century. For dessert you can take pistachio ice cream on ice — it appeared in Sicily in the middle of the 16th century. It used to be served only in very wealthy houses and only to those in love. To make it they used the freshest farm milk and eggs, as well as pistachios, which were specially delivered from Central Asia.

Beer in hand-made goblets, and a cast-iron weight on the lavatory door

From the drinks, taste the beer, since we are talking about the Middle Ages: it was the principal beverage of that time. My recommendations are the honey one and the ginger one. It is served in hand-made goblets, and each of them is made to an individual design — you will not find two identical ones here.

And one more thing: pay attention to the door in the lavatory. More precisely, to the counterweight, which is made in the shape of a cast-iron weight. When the latch closes, the weight goes down, and when it opens, the weight creeps up. Exactly as in the good old days.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 128 · Riga, Latvia. Original title: “СТАРУШКА РИГА”.

If you think you have explored Vilnius from end to end, tasted cepelinai in every top establishment and sampled coffee in all the best coffee houses according to TripAdvisor, head for the restaurant Gaspar's. For a small but very concentrated sip of India.

A Portuguese from Goa who came to Lithuania at the call of his heart

In the Old Town there is a street your own boots have trodden many times over — Pylimo. And on it stands a wonderful place, Gaspar's, which in 2018 made the top ten restaurants not just of Vilnius, but of all Lithuania. Remarkably, the owners of Gaspar's are a Portuguese man and a Belarusian woman.

Gaspar Fernandes was born in Indian Goa. Gaspar's roots are Portuguese, and he came to Lithuania, you might say, at the call of his heart. His culinary talent came to him from his mother, and already in childhood Gaspar knew that he would be a chef. In time the dream became reality: Fernandes graduated from the London culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, where he learned to create French desserts and pastries to perfection. The chef's little secret is a set of special spices that are prepared for him in India and sent to Lithuania. Gaspar is convinced that there is no other spice mix like it anywhere in Europe.

Indian fusion: what to order

At Gaspar's the signature cuisine is fascinating: European food with Indian notes, a kind of Indian fusion. To newcomers the owner of the place advises starting with the onion bhaji with tomato and tamarind sauce, caramelised onion purée and pickled shallots. Also try the chicken tikka with cucumber, yoghurt sauce and crunchy bulgur grains.

Lovers of unhackneyed experiments with the classics will enjoy the samosa with crab meat, homemade seafood mayonnaise and sturgeon caviar, and also the beef tartare with Indian spices, creamy egg yolk and plum chutney.

Among our favourites is the curry with chicken or prawns made to the recipe of Gaspar's mother and served with rice. It is, incidentally, the most popular dish on the menu; regular customers have been coming for it for three years.

The seafood roast has its own devotees too — with wild sea bass, lobster tail, prawns and shellfish, cooked in tomato sauce with spices and herbs.

Turmeric ice cream, handmade plates and a coravin

Be sure to leave room for dessert: at the peak of popularity today is the lemongrass crème brûlée with yuzu gel and pieces of pomelo. And the hit for all seasons is the turmeric ice cream with pistachio foam and crumbs. Made of turmeric, can you imagine? It is served not in an ordinary ice-cream bowl, but in a coconut shell.

In general, the tableware at Gaspar's is a subject of its own. All the dishes and drinks are brought on handmade plates and platters with carefully chosen cutlery.

And the restaurant also uses the innovative coravin system. It is a clever device that allows wine to be poured into a glass without pulling the cork out of the bottle.

The chef is also planning to organise dessert shows — the preparation of something tasty and unusual from the menu right in front of the guests.

What, where and the special assignment

WHAT: the restaurant Gaspar's.

WHERE: Pylimo g. 23-3, Vilnius.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT: go to the Sunday brunch in order to try the eggs Benedict with avocado, ham, prawns, spinach and coriander with hollandaise sauce. This appetising ensemble is served on Indian naan bread. From the same opera — the masala omelette with smoked Lithuanian eel and sturgeon caviar. Vegetarians will enjoy the chickpea fritters, which sit on a bed of hummus and are covered with crunchy radish, pomegranates, coriander and a delightful green fennel sauce.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 138 · Vilnius, Lithuania. Original title: “ВИЛЬНЮС-МАСАЛА”.

An unfinished gestalt: ice cream, or a head of garlic?

This summer — which, frankly, is not at all surprising for Belarusians short-changed on sunny days — several gestalts have been left unfinished. For instance, eating your fill of ice cream. But what kind of plombir can compete when it is high time to be thinking about winter vitamin deficiency and to eat a head of garlic, for example. Then again, there is always an alternative. You can board a plane to Tallinn (Belavia flies there 4 times a week), make your way to the centre, walk into the restaurant Balthasar and tuck into garlic ice cream to your heart's content. How do you like that idea?

A garlic restaurant on Town Hall Square, next to Europe's oldest pharmacy

We thought we had seen (and tasted!) everything, but we were wrong. There are restaurants of European cuisine, there are pan-Asian ones, there are vegetarian ones — but a garlic one! And yet it does exist — right in the heart of the city's Town Hall Square, in the building where the famous chronicler Balthasar Russow, the author of the Chronicle of the Province of Livonia, once lived. This unusual eating house stands next door to the oldest pharmacy in Europe, which has been working since 1422 — you can buy yourself some heartburn pills there, just in case you overdo it with the fiery seasoning.

The main ingredient of every dish in this establishment with its mock-medieval interior is garlic, which is added not only to soups and meat, but to desserts as well. Do not be alarmed: you can choose the degree of "garlickiness" of a dish to match your own taste.

From scallops to garlic ice cream with passion-fruit caramel

We start with sea scallops with garlic butter on a bed of vegetables and mushrooms. We pick up speed with vineyard snails with Cambozola cheese and, again, garlic butter. Then let there be venison carpaccio with a spiced blackberry sauce and a butternut squash cream soup — from the very first spoonful you will stop worrying that you left your Mentos for fresh breath back in your hotel room.

Remember Chukovsky's book From Two to Five, with its "I love garlic, it smells of sausage"? That is all childish babble! Grown-up uncles and aunties who know their food love garlic because it smells of a beefsteak cooked on a stone pan, with potatoes and Madeira sauce. And for the children you can buy that very garlic ice cream, which is served on a bed of apple with fresh strawberries, honeyed garlic and passion-fruit caramel.

What, where, and what people say

WHAT: the garlic restaurant Balthasar.

WHERE: Raekoja plats 11, 10146, Tallinn, Estonia.

TRIPADVISOR REVIEW: "A strange establishment — passages, connecting walkways, small rooms on different levels. The much-praised garlic ice cream did not impress, the coffee was excellent, though in Tallinn they make good coffee everywhere. The most interesting thing is… the candle at the entrance to the restaurant. It must be about a hundred years old. A great idea. In short, even if you are only walking past, spend a minute on the candle by the entrance."

Photo: flickr.com/the wandering witch girl

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 160 · Tallinn, Estonia. Original title: “ПО ЧЕСНОКУ!”.

Here you will be inspired, you will smell and taste genuine history. You will watch, savour, rediscover and savour again. And all of it — over a tasting dinner at the Vilnius restaurant Ertlio Namas. You will learn the history of Lithuania not through a museum, books or guidebooks, but through the sensations of taste.

A chef, a book and a 17th-century house

The chef of Ertlio Namas is Tomas Rimidis (Томас Римидис), owner and creator in one person: modest, strict and cheerful, extremely responsible, constantly improvising and interpreting. Moving in the professional culinary world since the age of 17 and the winner of many prestigious awards, today he is one of the best contemporary chefs in Lithuania. "So, everything in order," says Tomas, and begins his story. "After reading a book about historical Lithuanian cuisine, I was fired up by the idea of showing this cuisine to people. And I started to look for a suitable place in the heart of Vilnius. In the end the restaurant settled into a 17th-century building that once belonged to Jurgis Ertlis, a master of stonemasonry and joinery. Hence the name: Ertlio Namas — 'Ertl's House' in translation. Today there are four halls here: of the rectors, of the hetmans, of the voivodes and of the chancellors. The vaults, the high ceilings, the parquet of those times — we have preserved all of it as fully as we could."

Only what Vilnius could grow, catch or hunt

Tomas interprets recipes from old books, applying modern technology in the cooking. And a historian he knows writes the "legends" for every dish. "Our goal is to acquaint guests arriving in the capital with what people ate in Lithuania a hundred, two hundred years ago in the houses of the Radziwiłłs, the Ogińskis, Bona Sforza. You have never tried capons*, guinea fowl, pheasants, quails, roe-deer sausages, snails, crayfish? And you have not even eaten beaver meat? Come on!" The idea of the restaurant is to serve guests dishes of different centuries, using only those ingredients and spices that were available in Vilnius at that time. "And the most important thing — historical Lithuanian cuisine is marked by seasonality, and we observe this rule strictly: we use vegetables that can be grown in a kitchen garden; fish that can be caught in a river or a lake; game or fowl that can be hunted in the given season. And we also take into account the culinary fashion and the trends of that time. The menu changes 6 times a year, every 2 months."

Dinner only: a four- or six-course history lesson

But take note: the restaurant is open only for dinner! The menu is a tasting set of four or six items (€35 or €45 respectively). Every dish is brought to the table together with its history: where these or those ingredients were brought from, how they were grown and processed, in which century the recipe was created — the waiter will tell you all of it. The tasty history lesson lasts 2–3 hours.

Tonight our dinner is: – homemade bread with beetroot (15th century); – mackerel with onion purée, beetroot caviar and buckwheat popcorn (19th century); – mushroom soup with poularde** and mushroom cheese with turnip (18th century); – roe deer and roe-deer sausages with pumpkin pudding, celery purée and raspberry sauce (19th century); – carrot dessert with rowan berries and plum and with apple ice cream (17th–18th centuries).

And I want to note on my own behalf: the restaurant really does have strict rules for composing the menu, so you can be sure — every dish has a historical justification and reflects the culinary preferences of the Lithuanian nobility in past centuries. ●

P. S. Busting a myth: before the 19th century game was not cooked in the historical cuisine of Lithuania, hunting was an entertainment, and the killed animal was not eaten.

*A capon is a castrated cockerel fattened for meat. **A poularde is a fat, fattened hen.

What, where and a life hack

What: the restaurant Ertlio Namas, which teleports you into the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Where: Šv. Jono, 7, 01123, Vilnius, Lithuania. Life hack: allowing for the time difference, we take off from Minsk at 19.35 — and land in Vilnius at 19.10. Straight to dinner with the chef!

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · pp. 142–143 · Vilnius, Lithuania. Original title: “ДОБРО ПОЖАЛОВАТЬ В ВКЛ”.

What and where

WHAT: the Cinco Jotas restaurant in Barcelona, specialising in Iberian products.

WHERE: Rambla de Catalunya, 91–93.

Barcelona's address for jamón

There are many gastronomic places in Barcelona that you could talk about "deliciously" for hours, but I want to give you the safe-house address and the password of the establishment you should head to for jamón. At the little restaurant Cinco Jotas they have been perfecting the art of serving the "queen" of Spanish ham for almost 140 years — jamón ibérico de bellota: the very grade that is carried to the table of the Spanish king.

From Jabugo, 1897: how bellota ham is made

The story of the Cinco Jotas restaurant chain (besides Barcelona, they also operate in Madrid and Seville) began in 1897. It was then that in the little town of Jabugo the Spaniard Sánchez Romero decided to open the first production in Spain of ham made exclusively from purebred black Iberian pigs — only from these does the premium bellota grade come out. And it does not come out just like that: to reach the highest class, the pigs are let out to graze on free pastures, where they feed on acorns and grasses. Such a diet and an "athletic" regime keep the pigs in excellent physical shape, thanks to which the perfect combination of meat and fat is achieved. Next comes the process of curing and maturing — and it is far longer than in the case of the more "mass-market" ham from white-breed pigs. Salting with sea salt, natural drying and maturing in cellars can last up to five years and make the ham at Cinco Jotas a real treasure.

Photo caption. THE LION'S SHARE OF THE ENTIRE JAMÓN MARKET IS SERRANO HAM FROM LIGHT-COLOURED BREEDS; IT ACCOUNTS FOR 90% OF HAM PRODUCTION IN SPAIN. AND ONLY THE REMAINING 10% IS THE IBERIAN DELICACY HAM. SERRANO IS A HAM FOR EVERY DAY; IBÉRICO THE SPANIARDS THEMSELVES BUY ONLY FOR HOLIDAYS — ITS PRICE IS FAR FROM AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE.

The cortador, and what to order

So it is no wonder that slicing such a ham is equated with the culinary cutting of a diamond, and that a separate profession exists for it — the cortador. Cortadores go through years of training and will slice your ham right before it is served. Remember: the shadow of the knife should be visible through a perfectly cut slice. The most popular ways of eating the delicacy are with bread and a tomato rub, in a sandwich or as an appetiser. But to my mind, it is best eaten on its own: the ham is so tender that it melts in your mouth. For a hot course, order at the restaurant a mix of grilled meats or the collar (neck cut) of Iberian pork, and seafood lovers will enjoy the octopus with sweet potato.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · pp. 134–135 · Barcelona, Spain. Original title: “СИМВОЛ ИСПАНСКОЙ КУЛИНАРИИ”.

Banana plantations, black sand — and where to have dinner

Banana plantations, beaches of black volcanic sand, endless golf courses and kitesurfing schools — all of this you will find on Tenerife by yourselves. But as for the place for an excellent dinner on the island, we will be the ones to point it out to you.

Simple Canarian cooking — and every cuisine in the world

Canarian cuisine in itself is simple: for example, you will not surprise Belarusians with the signature local side dish — here it is baked potatoes in their skins, which are served with a variety of sauces. And it is delicious! In general, on the island you can dine at a restaurant of any cuisine: Spanish, Italian, Chinese, German, Indian. Firstly, because the Canary archipelago has been favoured by a great many nations, who bring their own demands on flavour along with them. And secondly — because there are many expats here who open restaurants serving the cuisines of the countries from which they moved to the islands. You can choose any cuisine that suits your taste, but all the same it is a crime to visit the islands and not try the local fish and seafood.

Why the best fish restaurants are in the fishing villages

For many long years fishing was one of the main branches of agriculture on Tenerife. So it is only logical that the best little fish restaurants should be looked for in the fishing villages of La Caleta, Tajao and Los Abrigos. To this day, every morning the fishermen sail into the bays by these places with their catch, which they sell to the family-run little restaurants. In the evening the fresh delicacies are served to the guests for dinner together with magnificent sunsets on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these little restaurants is good in its own way, but I suggest setting off for the cosy La Langostera in Los Abrigos.

La Langostera: live lobsters chosen from the tank

It is the only establishment on the island that specializes in cooking live lobsters. Since the 1970s, from generation to generation, the family that opened this place has been studying, processing and serving lobster. In the restaurant's aquarium you can choose any "critter" you like, and the chef will cook the dish personally for you. And here are the delicacies: blue lobster carpaccio with mango sauce, lobster with champagne, cream of lobster and shrimp. Do not fancy lobster — then come up to the display case and choose seafood and fish for any taste: spiny lobsters, oysters, mussels, squid, cherne and vieja fish, lapas, octopus, baby squid, lobster! Everything here is cooked deliciously — the restaurant has been awarded the gold certificate of the Cabildo de Tenerife.

What and where

WHAT: La Langostera, a restaurant where they cook lobster divinely.

WHERE: Calle La Marina, 18, 38639 Los Abrigos, Tenerife, Spain.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 136 · Los Abrigos, Tenerife, Spain. Original title: “КАК ВАМ ОМАРЫ?”.

WORLD. A PLACE ON THE MAP

The Balearics, a glass of Son Bordils Negre and a meeting with the guru

The Balearic Islands. Palma de Mallorca. The geographical names alone go to your head more strongly and more pleasantly than a glass of Son Bordils Negre, made from grapes that are grown exclusively on the island. But ahead of us lies a meeting with Marc Fosh, a guru of Mediterranean cuisine, and we are ready for anything. Especially for a tasting of his signature wild sea bass.

Marc Fosh was born in England, but it was temperamental Spain that brought him fame, and his restaurant in Palma has justly been awarded a Michelin star. Fosh's forte is Mediterranean cuisine, to which the famous chef adds his own twists, concentrating on the depth of flavour of every single ingredient.

A Michelin star in a 17th-century monastery, at reasonable prices

Let us begin with the fact that Fosh's establishment itself is housed in the building of a former 17th-century monastery. Second — you can have dinner in this Michelin restaurant at perfectly acceptable prices. The interior is done in a restrained palette. There is a lot of natural light here, calm music, palms growing out of the floor, a small waterfall quietly murmuring.

In short, Mediterranean zen plus a menu with a gorgeous content: beetroot gazpacho with horseradish, sea bass with smoked eel, guinea fowl with truffles.

The soups are the house's trump card

But do not you dare stop, thinking that nothing will taste better than the guinea fowl. Oh yes it will! After the appetisers, served on a massive wooden board, we move on to a silky-yellow gazpacho with lemon verbena, prawns and marinated sardines. Do appreciate the presentation: the soup is spectacularly poured over the other components in the bowl right there at the table, and not somewhere in the kitchen. Soups, to our (sophisticated, by the way!) eye, are a distinct signature feature of the place. A trump card! We give ten points out of ten to the warm pea soup with lemongrass and aloe vera — it, too, is poured at the table over a portion of salt cod.

Iberian pork cheeks, saffron fish and a dessert with no regrets

Marc cooks meat simply superbly! Just take those Iberian pork cheeks with anise, pumpkin-and-sea-buckthorn purée and spiced cherry. The fish with lemon and saffron also gets a "pass" from us.

We are surprised ourselves that there was any room left for dessert, but it was immediately filled with an amazing carrot cake with walnut sorbet. Which we did not regret in the slightest!

Marc Fosh: "My most popular dish is a truffle of chocolate and olive oil with a jelly of raspberry and red pepper. And the most unusual one is a dessert on North African motifs: a cream of marinated lemons with a special Egyptian seasoning of herbs and nuts, in a mix with a cherry sorbet with rose water and caramel."

WHAT: a Michelin restaurant with affordable prices.

WHERE: Carrer de la Missió, 7A, Palma de Mallorca.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 164 · Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Original title: “ДЕРЖАТЬ МАРКА”.

January in the mountains: Minsk – Barcelona, then 220 km

WORLD. A PLACE ON THE MAP

January is the ideal time to head for the mountains. The views of Andorra's Grandvalira, a glass of French champagne in a duet with a few oysters, and a sun-drenched terrace on the shore of a lake surrounded by snowy peaks. Pictured it? Then sharpen your skis, pack your suitcases and book seats on the Minsk – Barcelona flight: from there it is almost a stone's throw to the sunniest ski resort in Europe (a mere 220 km).

A refuge at 2,350 metres, in the style of an old Bordes

The tiny state of Andorra has tucked itself neatly onto the map between Spain and France. And while we are enjoying a succession of thrilling descents in one of the smallest countries on the planet, time flies by unnoticed — but the stomach reminds you of its existence. After several hours of skiing we decide to stop and restore our strength. For "refuelling" we choose the most beautiful place in the area — the restaurant Refugi del Llac de Pessons. It is framed by mountains and stands at an altitude of about 2,350 metres on the shore of Lake Pessons (which is where the name comes from). The establishment is done in the style of a traditional old Bordes restaurant, and its interior is a cosy combination of wood and stone. Incidentally, Bordes were once ordinary outbuildings — grain was stored in them and livestock was kept there, and then someone had the idea of breathing gastronomic life into them.

Trinxat, escudella and Wagyu — or oysters on the snow

You can get to the restaurant on skis from the red Cami dels Pessons run and choose whichever option of food and service suits you personally. There is the possibility of grabbing a fast-food snack without taking off your gear, or else of dining on traditional mountain dishes in the main hall with white napkins and stylish waiters. We choose the second: we take a filling Andorran trinxat (a purée of savoy cabbage and potato with garlic, which is served with fried bacon), we order the traditional meat soup — escudella — and we settle on rice with cod and on shoulder of lamb (spoiler: here it is impeccable!). This is also the place to check out the magnificent Wagyu beef — the most tender and most expensive marbled meat, which is also called meat for the toothless. Believe me, the local cuisine perfectly complements the views here. But, as it seems to me, the most winning option is to take a glass of champagne with oysters on the snow, claim a place on the terrace and sunbathe. If you do not fancy a royal feast at lunchtime, bear in mind that Refugi del Llac de Pessons is open in the evenings and offers guests dinners by the light of the moon, when magic and nature merge into one.

The resort in figures, and the address of the restaurant

Grandvalira is the largest ski resort in the Pyrenees. Its runs pass through 6 sectors — Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, Soldeu, El Tarter, Canillo, Encamp — and cover a territory of almost 2 hectares with 112 descents and a capacity of about 100 thousand skiers per hour.

WHAT: the restaurant Refugi Llac dels Pessons at an altitude of about 2,350 metres above sea level.

WHERE: Grau Roig Ski Slopes, Pas de la Casa AD200, Andorra.

Besides the gastronomic blowout at Refugi del Llac de Pessons, in Andorra you can sink into an open-air jacuzzi, book a room in an ice hotel and stage dog-sled races.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · pp. 140–141 · Grau Roig / Pas de la Casa (Grandvalira), Andorra. Original title: “ГОРЫ И АНДОРРА”.

For most tourists the first gastronomic associations connected with Italy are pasta and pizza. But when the talk turns to Tuscany, a more sophisticated public will certainly remember the Florentine steak. And some gourmets travel to the central part of the "boot" specifically for it.

What makes a real Florentine steak

In the cookbook "The Science of Nutrition and the Art of Preparing Tasty Food" Pellegrino Artusi writes that the main difference between the Florentine steak and what is served in other countries is the quality of the meat. A real Florentine steak is made from the loin of the snow-white Tuscan Chianina cows. Chianina is the largest breed of cattle in the world. These are two-metre giants weighing about 2 tonnes. Chianina meat is the best beef in Italy, and possibly in the world! Florentine butchers cut the pieces out of the lumbar loin part of a young bullock's carcass in such a way that the bone ends up exactly in the middle of the steak. The thickness must equal one and a half to two fingers, the weight — from 800 to 1500 g. The meat "matures" for at least 3–4 weeks in a cold chamber which is not supposed to be opened before its time. The steak is grilled over coals of olive wood or holm oak. Before cooking, the meat is not salted, not peppered and not brushed with olive oil, so as not to drown out its true taste. Only when the finished dish is already on the table is it seasoned with salt, pepper and oil to taste.

Only two degrees of doneness

The Florentine steak has only two degrees of doneness: al sangue — red, juicy, hot, and molto al sangue — practically raw in the centre; no well done and not even medium!

The eighth-generation butcher king of Panzano

In Florence steak is cooked in practically every restaurant, but we set off for a legendary place — to the farm of an eighth-generation butcher, the king of the Florentine steak, Dario Cecchini. The owner of three restaurants and a butcher's shop, Dario is a well-known personality; gourmets come from all over the world to meet him. We booked dinner (and this has to be done in advance, especially in season) at the main restaurant, Officina della Bistecca, where the culinary show actually takes place.

Before dinner, at the entrance to the butcher's shop, the guests are offered an aperitif: snacks and wine. Then everyone is invited into the restaurant, where people of different skin colour, nationality, age and status gather around one enormous table. Everyone talks and gets acquainted.

One long table and a feast without limits

Tartare is served first, then carpaccio. Next come the steaks — Costata alla Fiorentina and Bistecca Panzanese. And finally, his majesty Bistecca Fiorentina, the Florentine steak. House red wine and Tuscan bread, butter with Tuscan herbs, pinzimonio (fresh vegetables with olive oil, herbs and salt), boiled beans, baked potato with a mousse of lardo, grappa, and for dessert — coffee with a pie. And all of this in unlimited quantity.

It has to be said that the entire staff of the place are cheerful and hospitable people who know how to create an atmosphere. It feels as if you have dropped in for dinner with old friends. Dario Cecchini himself is charismatic and sociable, a real show-stopper. "I am a butcher from nose to tail. Meat is my philosophy. The grill is my religion. Cooking is a mass," Dario says with a smile. And this metaphor is the honest truth!

WHAT: the restaurant Officina Della Bistecca with the best Florentine steaks (at the entrance you will see the name of the butcher's shop — Antica Macelleria Cecchini).

WHERE: Via XX Luglio, 11, Panzano in Chianti, Italy (35 km from Florence).

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 132 · Panzano in Chianti, Italy. Original title: “ФАБРИКА СТЕЙКА”.

Every Italian region is a gastronomic universe of its own

We have only one Italy, but Italy has many regions. And each of them is a gastronomic universe of its own. People travel to Naples for a real Margherita pizza, to Calabria for the tartufo dessert made of ice cream with melted chocolate in its core; the Valle d'Aosta region tempts you with beef karbonad (карбонад) and veal frikando (фрикандо) with aromatic herbs and white wine. In Lombardy, be so kind as to try ossobuco — braised veal shank with the marrow bone. Liguria's culinary signature is the bright emerald-green pesto sauce, and it has to be tasted in Genoa. But as you have already guessed, our visit to this wonderful city did not stop at pesto alone.

A trattoria that Columbus would have walked into

If Genoa's native son Christopher Columbus were alive in our time, he would certainly have stopped by the trattoria Sa pésta before setting out on his voyage — a place whose doors opened 400 years after the great navigator was born, in 1889. And they have not closed since. We step inside Sa pésta — and travel back into the past as if in a time machine: cross vaults on the ceiling, wooden tables and stools, and every dish cooked in a wood-fired oven. Just as many centuries ago, here you can try traditional Ligurian farinata made from chickpea flour — the flatbread looks like an omelette and a pizza, and tastes like falafel.

Farinata was born out of chaos in 1284

Farinata came about practically out of chaos. In 1284 Genoese sailors returning home by sea after yet another victory were caught in a heavy storm, during which the ropes tying together the barrels of provisions burst like soap bubbles. All the food mixed into a viscous mass of chickpea flour, olive oil and sea water that did not look particularly appetising.

Since the ship's food supplies were limited, everything was carefully gathered up, ladled into bowls and handed out to the sailors. Many of them refused to eat the unappetising mixture and left it untouched on deck under the scorching sun. But hunger is no aunt of yours (as the Russian saying goes — hunger shows no mercy), and the next day the famished sailors had to go back to the abandoned bowls. To their surprise, they discovered that yesterday's mass had dried out and had even turned out to be quite tasty. Once ashore, the sailors told their wives about it, the Italian women kneaded a dough and baked flatbreads.

How farinata is made today — and what to order after it

Today the batter for farinata is poured into a shallow pan and kept for a few minutes in an open oven. Seasoned with fresh rosemary, pepper and sea salt, the flatbread is cut into irregular triangular pieces and eaten without any sauce off small plates.

After the farinata, which at Sa pésta comes out simply superb, take a piece each of the local vegetable pies made with curd cheese. And after the pies — stuffed anchovies, a vegetable roll and, of course, the local pesto: how could you possibly go without it! Classic Genoese pesto is made in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. Memorise the ingredients: basil, Ligurian olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, pecorino, salt. Try Ligurian pasta together with the pesto — thin, hand-twisted, firm curls. These will be the best pasta of your life!

What and where, and a note under the photograph

WHAT: the trattoria Sà Pesta.

WHERE: Via dei Giustiniani, 16/R, Genoa.

Every two years Genoa hosts the world championship in making Genoese pesto with the traditional implements — a mortar and a pestle. The competitors never use a blender, because it changes the taste of the pesto: when ground, basil leaves oxidise on contact with the metal parts of the appliance.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 164 · Genoa, Italy. Original title: “МЕСТО ДЛЯ ПЕСТО”.

WHAT: the family restaurant Sebastian's Family Taverna & Accommodation.

WHERE: Corfu, Greece.

A quiet village on the Ionian Sea, and a taverna in the same family since 1970

On Greek Corfu there is a quiet resort village, Agios Gordios. It is good there: the Ionian Sea, secluded rocky coves, the best beach on the island. But if you want it to get even better — look in at the local hotel-restaurant Sebastian's Family Taverna. Built in 1970, it has all that time been in the hands of a single family, which cooks traditional Greek dishes on the coast deliciously and home-style.

Every relative has a role: Sebastian, Tereza, the sister and mama Vasilika

Dinner at this taverna is not only about getting to know the cooking of the Greeks, but also about the atmosphere of a close, united family. In Greece the restaurant business is often a family one, and Sebastian's family is perhaps the best example of such a business on the island. Every relative here is responsible for a particular part of the work. Sebastian, the owner of the taverna, welcomes the guests and sees them off, takes orders, chats with the guests. His wife Tereza, originally from England, makes wonderful desserts — both Greek and European. The sister is in the role of the attentive waiter, bringing the drinks and the tasty dishes. And the eldest woman in the family, mama Vasilika, settles the guests' bills and cooks a magnificent Greek moussaka.

What to order: pastitsada, bourdeto, frappé and baklava to live bouzouki

Among the Corfiot dishes you must try is pastitsada: beef stewed in tomato sauce and aromatic spices, which is served with pasta. Lovers of seafood can safely take bourdeto — stewed scorpionfish, simmered in a mixture of chopped tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic and olive oil. For dessert, take an ice-cold frappé coffee and the traditional Corfiot sweet — baklava: filo pastry in a duet with chopped nuts and syrup. And all of this to the live sound of musicians playing the bouzouki.

A roof of grapevines, home wine, and a harvest guests can join

The interior of the place is simple, southern, and that is its charm: the roof over the taverna's garden is a weave of grapevines. What is more, it creates not only good shade during the day, but also gives an excellent grape harvest for the home wine (Sebastian gets from 400 to 1,000 litres, depending on the weather). Guests can take part in the grape harvest and the winemaking too, if they come here in September–October.

Photo caption

The little town where the restaurant is located lies half an hour's drive from Corfu airport. Its runway is one of the shortest in the world and the shortest in Europe (2,375 m). The runway begins right out of the water, and the impression is created that the planes are landing straight into the sea.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 118 · Corfu (Agios Gordios), Greece. Original title: “В ГРЕЧЕСКОМ ДОМЕ”.

(Russian idiom «войти во вкус» — to acquire a taste for something, to get into the swing of it; literally "to enter into the taste".)

The fifth taste, and why you order tomato juice on a plane

Shall we guess what you have just asked the flight attendant for, the one offering tea and drinks? Tomato juice, right? Scientists worked out long ago that on board an aircraft, because of the constant noise, the receptors responsible for perceiving sweetness are dulled, while the sense of umami is heightened. Umami is the Japanese term used for the "fifth taste", something midway between sweet and salty.

Umami is hard to describe in words. It has a rich aftertaste that brings out every single ingredient of the whole dish. The basis of umami is the notorious monosodium glutamate, which for some reason everyone fears like fire. And yet natural monosodium glutamate is contained in parmesan, soy sauce, broccoli and spinach, walnuts, tomatoes, cabbage and other foods.

Strasbourg: French cuisine with German notes

But talking about food and tastes is roughly the same thing as "dancing about architecture": you have to taste it! For the tasting we are flying to France — to Strasbourg. And the restaurants of Strasbourg, it has to be said, are far from typical French cuisine. The closeness of the German border does its work. And you do not need to be a sophisticated gourmet to hear German notes in the local cooking.

Umami: sixteen seats and a Michelin star

But we are going further still. Among the best restaurants of Strasbourg, the guides and the restaurant critics name the restaurant Umami. This holder of a Michelin star is loved for its unique combination of Asian and French cuisines.

The tiny family-run establishment has only 16 seats. Chef René personally creates his masterpieces in the kitchen, while his wife takes care of the wine selection.

The tasting menu, course by course

We were offered a choice of two menus: Umami (5 courses for 68 €) and a vegetarian one (55 €). We chose the first and did not regret it in the slightest: the salad of wild gambas and black radish with wasabi and rice vinegar turned out to be beyond all praise. Then came ravioli stuffed with tofu and spinach, with miso broth. And after the ravioli — scallops with a salad of carrot, tamarind and basil. The highlight of the programme was duck breast with turnip, mushrooms, candied fruit and a sweetish-spicy hoisin sauce. For dessert they spoiled us with creamy white chocolate with pomelo. And so that we would remember Umami forever — pandan fruit with coconut sorbet as well. At some point it even seemed that we were not in Europe but somewhere in Asia on the ocean shore, and that a barefoot boy from a beach café was about to bring us a fresh mango juice. But what they brought was a glass of exquisite wine, which, on the whole, is even better. And we went on training our taste receptors with doughnuts and mulled wine at the festive market. Strasbourg is, after all, Capitale de Noël — the capital of Christmas, and in December the atmosphere here is magical.

WHAT: the restaurant Umami. WHERE: 8 rue des Dentelles, Strasbourg, France.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 162 · Strasbourg, France. Original title: “ВОЙТИ ВО ВКУС”.

Marseille's third great association

Marseille is the "Marseillaise", the song that became the anthem of France. It is Marseille soap made with olive oil and laurel. And the trio of the best-known associations with this city in the south-east of France, in the Provence region, is completed by bouillabaisse — a thick soup of fish, seafood and vegetables.

From unsold small fry to 100 euros a bowl

Once upon a time this was an ordinary fishermen's soup, cooked from the small fry that had not been sold at the market. Who could ever have thought that one day some restaurants would be asking 100 € for a bowl of Marseille fish soup (which, by the way, used to be cooked in seawater). And that price is not the limit!

There is nothing that the cooks of Marseille have not added to the soup in order to sell a guest a dish of original composition at a higher price. It went so far that the classic recipe was, to put it mildly, pushed aside, yielding its place to elaborate culinary mixes. And sometimes to outright gastronomic swindling. Some, for instance, took to cooking bouillabaisse from frozen fish.

The "Charter of Bouillabaisse" and the argument over the ingredients

In 1980, six restaurateurs came to the soup's defence and wrote the "Charter of Bouillabaisse", according to which the dish had to be cooked with rascasse (sea ruffe). In general, the ingredients were argued over for a long time. Some said the spiny lobster had no place in the soup, others defended the spiny lobster, a third group would even agree to molluscs, and a fourth was categorically against.

The strict rules of a real bouillabaisse

But in the end strict rules of bouillabaisse took shape, and the cooks in Marseille told me about them. First, the fish must be fresh and cooked in such a way that its shape and its taste are fully preserved. What is more, the fish is cut up in front of the customer.

Second, the soup must contain at least four kinds of fish: red mullet, scorpionfish, gurnard and conger eel. No spiny lobsters, shrimp or mussels in a real bouillabaisse!

Besides the fish, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, parsley, fennel, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper and saffron all go into it. Bouillabaisse is served in parts: the fish itself on a platter, and the broth in a bowl. But at the customer's wish the fish and the broth may be combined.

Where to try it

WHERE TO TRY IT: the best bouillabaisse in Marseille is made at the restaurant Chez Fonfon, founded back in 1952 by Alphonse Mounier. The soup is served with a special rouille sauce (in France they call it "rust") and croutons. Besides the notorious Marseille soup, this restaurant also offers the freshest grilled fish and the most delicious cuttlefish.

Photo caption: The name of the soup bouillabaisse came from an ordinary piece of cooking advice: baisse l'ébullition — "to cook over a low flame".

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 148 · Marseille, France. Original title: “ВАРИ МЕДЛЕННО”.

What and where

WHAT: Bratwursthäusle — the oldest restaurant in Nuremberg.

WHERE: Rathausplatz, 1, 90403, Nürnberg, next to the church of St. Sebaldus and the Town Hall.

Bavaria: football, beer and sausages

Bavaria. Football, beer and sausages are probably the first associations that arise at the mention of this region of Germany. And since that is so, I am sharing with you the safe-house address and the password of the place where the sausages are the most traditional, the most golden-fried and the juiciest. Off we go to Nuremberg!

Marjoram, 7 to 9 cm, and the legend of the keyhole

The main secret of Nuremberg sausages is different kinds of meat (pork and beef) combined with quality spices and, of course, the legendary recipe and its exact observance. The obligatory spice that goes into the composition of the local sausages is marjoram. Another standard is the size: they must be thin, but long — from 7 to 9 cm. Their size and thickness are justified by a multitude of legends. The best known one says that sausages began to be made unusually thin so that the relatives of prison inmates could feed them through the keyhole.

Bratwursthäusle, founded in 1313

The best place to try Nuremberg sausages is Bratwursthäusle — a restaurant located in the historic centre of the city and founded in 1313. On its menu there is an assortment of sausages for different appetites, or for several people, in portions of 6, 8, 10 and 12. They are grilled over an open fire, on beechwood, and served on special pewter plates. As a side dish you can choose stewed sauerkraut or potato salad, and the famous German mustard and horseradish will be waiting for you on the table. And do not forget to order a mug of Franconian Tucher beer and a pretzel, and for dessert — apple strudel with vanilla cream.

Sit down with anyone, and take the sausages home in a jar

The service here is very fast, and besides, you can sit down at any table with somebody else: in this establishment that is normal. It is also worth bringing back from here an unhackneyed souvenir: those very Nuremberg sausages, preserved in jars. Once you are back home, open that jar on a cosy autumn evening — and recall the taste of your Bavarian journey.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 124 · Nuremberg, Germany. Original title: “НЮРНБЕРГСКИЕ КОЛБАСКИ”.

A small town called Kitz, between two mountains

Every winter the Austrian town of Kitzbühel — or, as people call it, simply Kitz — gathers those who love to whizz along with the wind in their face. Set between the mountains Hahnenkamm and Kitzbüheler Horn, at the confluence of several rivers at once, it fills up with athletes and tourists coming to the ski resorts here. The town is small but warm-hearted: winding medieval lanes, picture-postcard views and, of course, little places where you will be fed deliciously, Austrian-style.

A former farmstead on the quiet edge of town

Once you have had your fill of skiing, I suggest you set off for the quiet outskirts of Kitz, to where the atmosphere of a typical Austrian holiday cottage reigns — to the family restaurant Wirtshaus zum Rehkitz. Do not be surprised that it looks like a private house — this used to be a farmstead with a big garden. The farming is gone, but the eco-spirit has stayed here: if you call in at the restaurant in summer, you will see rabbits strolling around the garden alongside the guests. In winter this same ground is generously dusted with Austrian snow.

And now let us step inside the cottage in Tyrolean style, created by wooden furniture, laid tables, carved chairs and smiling waiters in national costume. The owner of the place, Theo Muntigl, met us like old good friends, and I want to say that he is that welcoming with every guest: he helps you choose Tyrolean dishes and the wines to go with them. After a pleasant chat I went off to the kitchen, to chef Lukas and his team. In the kitchen I took part in cooking and serving the dishes, and after that a tasting was waiting for me.

What Tyrolean cooking is: inspiration, simplicity, good produce

So what, then, is Tyrolean cuisine? It is inspiration. It is simplicity. It is good produce. And all of it together is love for your guests, fresh air and the culinary traditions of the region. One of those traditions concerns soups — Austrians consider them a starter. Choose Leberknödel soup with liver dumplings, or Frittaten soup, with strips of dough that taste like pancakes. Among the main courses — schnitzel, of course! Here they make it from veal and serve it with potatoes and cranberries. Among the other Austrian classics are Tafelspitz, boiled beef with potatoes, spinach sauce and apple horseradish; Käsespätzle, Austrian home-made noodles with a cheese-and-onion sauce; roast duck with red cabbage and potato dumplings (this dish collects an especially large number of rave reviews on TripAdvisor!).

Dessert, the wine cellar and the hazelnut schnapps

And how could we manage without dessert? Take the apple strudel — the most traditional dessert there is. But the imperial omelette, Kaiserschmarrn, impressed me too, with its taste and the simplicity of its preparation. It was once the favourite dish of one of Austria's emperors, and now you too can try this sweet omelette with plum sauce, icing sugar and raisins. To accompany the food, from the restaurant's wine cellar they will be sure to recommend the best drinks of Austria and beyond. After dinner, as a digestif, they serve homemade schnapps made of hazelnuts — I will remember that taste for a long time. By the way, a little bottle of the nut potion can be bought as a gift!

The essentials

WHAT: the small restaurant Wirtshaus zum Rehkitz.

WHY GO: for a cosy dinner at the foot of the Tyrolean Alps.

WHERE: Am Rehbühel, 30, 6370, Kitzbühel, Austria.

Photo caption

In 2013 Kitz was recognised as the best ski resort in the world. And it really does take your breath away: down the "Streif" slope of the Hahnenkamm mountain runs one of the toughest downhill courses in the world.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 130 · Kitzbühel, Austria. Original title: “…И БУТЫЛОЧКА ОРЕХОВОГО ЗЕЛЬЯ!”.

(The Russian title «В тепличных условиях» is an idiom meaning "in pampered, sheltered conditions"; literally "in greenhouse conditions" — a pun on the greenhouse the restaurant occupies.)

What and where

WHAT: De Kas, a greenhouse restaurant.

WHERE: Frankendael Park, Amsterdam (Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE).

A Michelin-starred chef in a half-ruined 1926 greenhouse

To everyone flying to the city of contrasts, freedom and fun, where you are allowed to do everything that is not allowed at home, I recommend visiting the most unusual restaurant in Amsterdam — De Kas. Its name translates as "nursery" — the chef with one Michelin star, Gert Jan Hageman, opened his establishment in the building of a half-ruined greenhouse dating from 1926.

All glass, with citrus and olive trees growing in the dining room

After the restoration, the result was a completely unique establishment: entirely of glass, very light, with transparent walls. Inside this "airy" space, right in the restaurant's dining room, citrus and olive trees are growing — this is exactly the place where you find yourself wanting to think about the harmony of nature and modern technological design. But the main thing at the restaurant is still its magnificent cuisine: at De Kas they cook from the freshest ingredients, grown in their own greenhouses and in the garden next to the restaurant.

Fields ten kilometres away, and fish from the Wadden Sea

What cannot be grown on the spot is cultivated in fields 10 kilometres from Amsterdam. There, in the open air, it is mainly seasonal produce that ripens: vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Their own harvest is supplemented by deliveries from the surrounding farms: dairy and meat products, and also fresh fish from the North Sea and the Wadden Sea. Every day the crop is gathered in the field, so that the restaurant's guests can enjoy the very freshest ingredients.

One fixed menu: all of it, or nothing

On the basis of these products, one fixed menu is created daily, made up of various small dishes: at lunch that is 3-4 dishes, at dinner 5-6 dishes. Each set is calculated for one person and is indivisible — you can order either everything or nothing. If you want something "hotter" in terms of a show, you can book a table right in the kitchen — there the chef will cook dinner in front of your eyes. And attention, vegetarians: a special menu from the chef awaits you here. A tip: if you know for certain that a flight to Amsterdam is coming up for you, make an online booking for a table, because De Kas is very popular and without a reservation you simply will not get in.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 122 · Amsterdam, Netherlands. Original title: “В ТЕПЛИЧНЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ”.

The town where you cannot lie low

This is exactly the case where the title of Martin McDonagh's film does not work. There is no way you will manage to "lie low" in Bruges! Canals, bridges, medieval little houses, unhurried townspeople — be ready for the fact that for a couple of days you will end up inside a postcard. One that you should not merely contemplate, but explore up and down with the thoroughness of a travel blogger. And after a walk around Bruges — properly stuff your belly with Flemish delicacies in the city's best bistro. And only after that can you lie low.

A bistro on a bridge: Bruut and its blue-wood tables

Translated from Flemish, Brugge means "bridge". There are more than fifty bridges in the city, and on one of them stands the bistro Bruut — in an old building with archaic interiors. Take a seat at a table made of blue wood and pick up the menu.

Bruno Timperman's menu: lobster tartare, oysters, turbot with scorzonera

The bistro's chef, Bruno Timperman, is a culinary genius and simply a good person. He tries not to leave a single first-time guest without attention: he comes over, tells you about the food, gives advice. The menu here changes depending on the season and is adjusted every four weeks. The price for 5 courses is 76 €, for 6 — 86 €. We started with lobster tartare with pickled onion and sauces of bergamot and tapioca. Listed as number two were incredibly tasty oysters with cauliflower. Next came turbot (those are fish — relatives of the flounder) in an ensemble with scorzonera — and that is a sweet little root, very good for you, by the way. It is cooked like asparagus or cauliflower, used as a seasoning for soups, as an addition to soft drinks, syrups or ice cream. The turbot and the scorzonera Bruno Timperman served with Jerusalem artichoke and under a smoked mussel sauce.

The fish was followed by fowl: the chef prepared pigeon with beetroot, and it was the best pigeon we have ever had a chance to try.

Pumpkin ice cream, 366 steps and the narrowest street in town

We had promised ourselves not to eat until we reached the state of "lying low in Bruges" (climbing the Belfort tower was in the plans, and that is 366 steps!), but we could not resist dessert (well, and who could resist pumpkin ice cream with white chocolate and mandarin!). But, luckily, even after a dinner like that we fitted perfectly into the narrowest little street in the city — Blind Donkey Street — and the next day we went back to Bruno for a second helping!

The TripAdvisor review

A TRIPADVISOR REVIEW: "We dropped in for lunch on one of those foul days, when it was pouring rain outside and the temperature was around +6. And we caught ourselves thinking that we did not want to leave at all. The way the dishes are served is comparable to a gastronomic quest. The chef really does know how to surprise even the most sophisticated gourmets. All in all, Bruges and this restaurant are unquestionably worthy of each other!"

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 146 · Bruges, Belgium. Original title: “ЗАПЕЧЬ ТЮРБО В БРЮГГЕ”.

Time to swap the ski suit for a coat

We say "Zakopane" — we mean skis. And a skier must not go hungry. All the more so a skier riding the slopes of the Tatras, because on top of the physical effort he has emotional effort ahead of him too — there is so much beauty all around! So it is high time to change the windproof ski suit for a fashionable coat and set off along the streets of this famous European resort — to taste the local cuisine.

WHAT: Karcma Zapiecek.

WHERE: Krupowki 43, Zakopane, 34-500, Poland.

Krupowki: a street of small Christmas happiness

Our destination is the pedestrian street Krupowki. Here there is everything you need for a small Christmas happiness: stalls with hot wine, fried cheese and gingerbread, colourful little koliba restaurants, britzkas harnessed to little horses posing endearingly against old houses on a high foundation of split stone, street lamps bowing to one another — such things exist only here, in Zakopane. The Gorals, the local inhabitants, stroll about the streets in national costume and speak a special dialect — a mixture of Polish, Old Polish and Slovak.

Karcma Zapiecek: a log house with a real wood-fired oven

Goral cuisine is a song of its own, and you can "learn a couple of verses" of it in one of the best restaurants in town — Karcma Zapiecek. From the doorstep it is already clear that you will stay here for lunch and will probably come back for dinner. The karczma is a wooden log house with a real wood-burning oven, a dining room with wooden furniture, a staircase, antique clocks and candlesticks. "The skis are standing by the stove" is also a verse about Karcma Zapiecek. And old sleighs hang from the ceiling — in short, a place full of character. But the strongest impressions are still ahead. It is hard to make a mistake with your choice at the "Zapiecek", everything here is delicious. Our own recommendation is to try the traditional Goral borscht whitened with soured milk, on a broth of smoked brisket; the saffron milk cap soup with dumplings; and oscypek with bacon and cranberries — that is a sheep's cheese which is smoked to a recipe passed on from one generation of Gorals to the next.

Moskol, pork knuckle and beef cheeks with barley porridge

Little pancakes made from boiled potato are what the Gorals call "moskol", and they serve them with a sauce of porcini gathered in the local forests in season. The cooks at the "Zapiecek" turn out an excellent pork knuckle with cabbage, blood sausage with pickled cucumber and onion bread, duck with pear and beetroot, trout straight from the oven and beef cheeks — the last are simply outstanding here, and they are served with the most delicious barley porridge!

Grzane piwo and "tea with electricity"

It is clear from the menu that being a vegetarian in Zakopane is difficult (although even for them there are dumplings with potato and curd cheese here, and baked apples for dessert). The same, in fact, goes for being a non-drinker. Be sure to try grzane piwo — hot beer with spices and raspberry syrup. Or Goral tea, which is also called "tea with electricity" — evidently because of the shot of cherry vodka that has to be added to the cup.

LIFE HACK. You do not have to sit around in restaurants at all. Grilled cheese under cranberry sauce and the most delicious waffles with jam can be had simply while walking along Zakopane's central pedestrian street.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 134 · Zakopane, Poland. Original title: “МЕСТО ЗА ПЕЧКОЙ”.

Heading west past Białystok and Warsaw

WORLD. A PLACE ON THE MAP

Dashing off to Poland in autumn can be about more than shopping — it can also be about gastronomic impressions. If you pass Białystok, then Warsaw, and keep heading further west, you will most likely end up in the city of Copernicus and, at the same time, the gingerbread capital of Poland — the city of Toruń. The compulsory programme: tramping about on cobblestones from the age of knights, admiring medieval buildings in the Gothic style and, of course, tasting the place.

A granary from 1719 that became barracks, a warehouse and offices

On the bank of the Vistula, next to the 15th-century bridge gate, stands a good restaurant, Karczma Spichrz. The building in which the inn has settled was erected in 1719 — no wonder the local cooks make a point of astonishing you with centuries-old traditions. The word spichrz, incidentally, translated from Polish means "granary" or "barn". Once upon a time, on this very spot, there really was one of the largest granaries in Poland, but in 1815 it was turned into barracks. Eight years after that, as the date on the front façade of the building suggests, it was rebuilt into a military food store, and later the structure became office space. In 1999, whether following fashionable trends or the call of their hearts, the owners decided to return to the roots and restored the original interior layout: they stripped the plaster from the ceilings, restored the wooden beams and brought back to life the hoisting mechanism with its lever for rolling the haulage cable.

What to order: venison tartare, czernina and a metre of sausage

Once you have finished admiring the unique construction of the building, move on to the meal with a light heart and an empty stomach. To get up to speed properly, I suggest starting lunch with game — venison tartare. Then tickle your nerves and take the czernina — a soup of goose blood, spiced broth, dried fruit and little dumplings. In the 19th century an important tradition was attached to this dish: it was served to young men who had been turned down by the parents of their beloved when they came courting. For the main course, order a metre of sausage or a pork knuckle to an Old Polish recipe with fried cabbage. If that option is not to your liking, take the duck — it is peerless here. All of this is best washed down with kvass.

The sharing pan, sea-buckthorn sorbet — and a bed in the granary

If you are in town with a large group, then grab the enormous mixed skillet without a second thought. What isn't in it: pork neck, bacon roll, ribs, chicken breast, shashlik, black pudding, mashed potatoes, fried cabbage, baked apples… After such abundance I would refrain from dessert, but the sea-buckthorn sorbet is still worth trying. And if, having dined, you find you cannot move — no problem! Stay the night: the granary also has a hotel.

WHAT: Karczma Spichrz, where every dish is served on Bolesławiec ceramic tableware.

WHERE: Mostowa 1, Toruń 87-100, Poland.

Photo: www.spichrz.pl

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 146 · Toruń, Poland. Original title: “ПЕРНИК И КОПЕРНИК”.

Lviv turns the simplest meal into a show

If you love gastronomic adventures, head for Lviv: here they know how to stage even the simplest meal as an unforgettable show — and to do it with Ukrainian zest and humour. There are heaps of Lviv bars I would like to tell you about, but I struggled to pick just one of my favourites: the Pravda beer theatre.

A jeweller's salon on Rynok Square that now brews craft beer

This colourful establishment, which combines a brewery-restaurant, a shop and a museum, works in the historic centre, on the city's Rynok (Market) Square. In this building from the beginning of the 20th century there was a jewellery salon until the Second World War, then a trading house, and after the 1950s a department store. Now craft beer is brewed here.

Three floors up and one down: shop, brewery, restaurant

"Pravda" is three floors up and one down, into the cellar. On the ground floor there is part of the mini-brewery's equipment and a shop where you can buy bottled beer and souvenirs: bags, beer glasses, postcards. If it happens that you first drop into the restaurant and afterwards forget to make it as far as the shop, that is no disaster: all your purchases and the beer can be brought to your home, to your hotel or to the railway station, and can also be sent by post anywhere in Ukraine. But let us go further, to the most interesting part: the second and third floors are occupied by the beer restaurant itself. Done out in loft style, in red tones, combined with steel staircases, railings and cables, it looks like a real beer manufactory. Downstairs, in the middle of the hall, a large board glows, showing which beer is being brewed these days, the brewer's name and the country the brewer has come from. Yes, the country too — because at "Pravda" professionals from Ukraine, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the USA experiment with flavours and ingredients. The guys brew beer with cones of fresh hops, elderflowers, sunflower and many other ingredients. They choose telling names for their brainchildren (such as Jam, for a beer brewed with the addition of strawberries), and sometimes poetic ones (for example, «Червоні очі» — Chervoni ochi, "Red Eyes" — for an American red ale with a citrus flavour).

Small batches, double fermentation and outspoken labels

The beer line-up is constantly updated, and the exclusive labels on every bottle are very bright and emotional: they tell you about the contents straight away. In this restaurant the beer is called manufactory beer (or craft beer), because it is brewed in small batches. The brewer decides when each batch is ready by tasting the drink. And for the bottled beer a double-fermentation technology is used: the brewed and matured drink is poured into bottles, a little more sugar and yeast is added to them, and from these the beer is saturated with carbon dioxide in a natural way — so it ferments inside the closed bottle. Beer like this can be kept longer than ordinary craft varieties — six months to a year — while remaining unfiltered and unpasteurised.

The show and the food: a brass band, a newspaper menu and marrow bones

Now a little about the show and the food: every day except Monday, the venue's own brass band, "Pravda-orchestra", plays on its stage. In the evenings you can down a glass here to soundtracks from famous films and to popular Ukrainian hits. And, again with a glass in hand, you can have dinner with dishes cooked in the open kitchen. The menu of "Pravda" is styled like a newspaper and is very varied: signature starters, generous portions of salads, hot dishes. Bigos, different kinds of sausages, ribs and steaks, grilled fish, duck and vegetable dishes — everyone will find food to go with the beer they have chosen. The offer for the brave is marrow bones with step-by-step instructions on how to devour them. And if you have a Lokal tourist discount card, you will be pleasantly surprised not only by the dishes, but by their prices as well.

Photo captions

"PRAVDA" TAKES A HUMOROUS APPROACH TO POLITICS — HERE THEY BREW A LINE OF BEERS DEDICATED TO INTERNATIONAL LEADERS.

THE PRAVDA BEER THEATRE RUNS TOURS OF THE BEER PRODUCTION, DURING WHICH YOU CAN WATCH THE BREWER AT WORK AND THE DRINK BEING MADE, AND TASTE THE BEER STRAIGHT FROM THE VAT.

Photo: Marina Staver; "Pravda"

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · April issue · pp. 118, 120–121 · Lviv, Ukraine. Original title: “«ПРАВДИВОЕ» ПИВО”.

A stone mushroom on the slopes of Bukovel

If at the tail end of the season you point your skis towards Bukovel, set a reminder on your phone for "Hrybova Khata" (the Mushroom Hut). And when you get to Ukraine, settle in and, at the end of your first day of descents amid the most beautiful scenery of the Carpathian peaks, find yourself as hungry as a wolf — remember this little restaurant.

Even if you don't remember it, you will notice it anyway. As you come down the mountain, be sure to pay attention to the mysterious house in the shape of a white mushroom, built of stone. Connoisseurs of architecture will identify the art nouveau style: flowing lines, an intricate interweaving of motifs and not a single right angle. Having once been impressed by the creations of Gaudí, the restaurant's founder Mykhailo Hrosuliak (Михайло Гросуляк) built several establishments back home, none of them like the others, but all in exactly this style. One of them is the restaurant Hrybova Khata. The interior décor of the "khata" (hut), with all its unusual lamps and handmade furniture, is hard to put into words: this mix of Gaudí motifs and Ukrainian local colour has to be seen with your own eyes!

Cooked in a Ukrainian oven at 500 degrees

The restaurant offers old Ukrainian and Hutsul dishes — the result is authentic cuisine with an interesting presentation. Everything is cooked in a Ukrainian oven, over firewood, at a temperature of 500 degrees. And also on an enormous kitchen range with a name that sounds funny to our ear — "blyat". The food is served in cast-iron dishes.

The restaurant's brand chef Vitaliy Huralevych (Виталий Гуралевич) draws his inspiration from old recipe books, tasting everything personally, choosing delicious combinations of products and bringing every dish to perfection. All the ingredients are natural, grown on their own homesteads, high in the mountains, where the purest air and excellent ecology reign.

Meat and lard from Mangalitsa pigs, the Transcarpathian meat delicacy shovdar (the local equivalent of Spanish jamón), Carpathian truffle (the korban mushroom) gathered in the mountains. Feeling hungry yet? We certainly are!

Shpundra, banosh and derun — cooked together with the chef

Of course, there is no doing without a shot of the Hutsul moonshine palianka and homemade fruit liqueurs: I liked the sea-buckthorn one, while others will take a fancy to the mushroom one and even the tomato one. And of course the house beer "Slava Ukraini" — how could we do without it. I personally was lucky enough to cook three traditional Hutsul dishes together with the restaurant's chef. The first of them is the most delicious and simple-to-make shpundra, from a recipe known since 1791. It is pork brisket slow-braised in beetroot kvass, with bread. It is served in a bread bun. The second masterpiece is Hutsul banosh: cornmeal porridge cooked in homemade cream, with sheep's bryndza cheese and a porcini mushroom gravy. If you have read this far, here is a derun for you — a large potato pancake with porcini mushroom sauce. Straight out of the oven, by the way.

A compliment from the kitchen — and the borscht

Guests of the restaurant who come in out of the frost are immediately brought a compliment from the kitchen — dried bread, garlic, smoked lard in the shape of a mushroom, with herbs and garlic, with a "cap" of mushroom jelly.

Ask for the menu. There is a lot of interesting stuff in it, but we advise you to order a real Ukrainian borscht — it seems its recipe is built into the DNA of every Ukrainian. And borscht cooked by the Hutsuls is a song in itself!

\* "Bon appétit!" in Ukrainian.

WHAT: the restaurant Hrybova Khata ("Mushroom Hut").

WHERE: Urochyshche Vyshnia (the Vyshnia tract), 8a, Polianytsia, Bukovel, Ukraine.

TripAdvisor review: "We were given a compliment from the chef in the form of four pieces of toast with a spread of garlic, lard and other things. My friend burned her hand on the frying pan, they brought her panthenol (!), gave us a 20% discount, and wrote on the bill: 'Have a nice day'. They exceeded all our expectations, a very good mood!"

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 134 · Bukovel (Polianytsia), Ukraine. Original title: “СМАЧНО́ГО!*”.

Writing about Georgia while sitting on a plane taking off from Tbilisi is torture. And writing about Georgian cuisine is even worse — a cuisine in which a single wine alone, with all its shimmering shades and aftertastes, is worth a whole poem. To understand this, one lunch at the restaurant Kakhelebi is enough — an unequivocal must visit in the Georgian capital.

A masterpiece in the plainest khachapuri shop

By and large, in Georgia you can catch a culinary masterpiece even in the most unremarkable-looking little khachapuri shop. The ingredients seem simple enough: flour, water, cheese — and yet the flatbreads come out divine. Let us limit ourselves to a small layered achma, because a whole gastronomic feast lies ahead of us at the restaurant Kakhelebi, where Leonid Parfenov, Kakha Kaladze, Ivan Urgant and Andrei Makarevich have dined — and those are only a few of the distinguished guests whose portraits we saw as we climbed the restaurant's staircase.

Chichiko Goletiani, the 80-ton oven and the family farm in Kakheti

The restaurant's owner, the well-known businessman Chichiko Goletiani, can easily be met not only in the dining room with the guests, but also in the kitchen (which, by the way, is worth a look, to see the wood-fired oven weighing 80 tons). He personally invents the new dishes and tastes them. And how reverently he treats the ingredients! No frozen semi-finished products and no dried spices — everything is fresh and seasonal only. On their own farm in Kakheti they gather generous harvests of vegetables (vakh, what tomatoes they have here!), fruit and nuts for the restaurant.

What they pour and what to order

Given that Kakheti is a grape paradise and the most interesting wine-making region of Georgia, you can only guess at the wine served here. The rosé Meri (Мэри) is an original blend of Merlot and Rkatsiteli. The Saperavi, aged in oak barrels — be careful with that one, it is delicious, but so intoxicating! And then there is the 60-degree chacha, how could you do without it. With it, take something meaty. For example, lamb braised with tkemali (sour plum sauce) and tarragon, or veal stewed with tomatoes and peppers. For the vegetarians — fried mushrooms with nuts. And for the whole company — the signature khachapuri named in honour of Queen Darejan. It is not just a flatbread, it is 400 grams of three kinds of cheese on a thin layer of golden-browned dough.

Leave room for the sweet things — and look up at the ceiling

Oh, and do leave room for something sweet! A green salad like this one — with strawberry pastila, pomegranate and the chef's secret dressing, the way they make it at Chichiko's restaurant — you will not taste anywhere else. Plus a whole palette of preserves: white sweet cherry, crab apples and watermelon rinds. And to eat alongside them, a fragrant tea made from Georgian mountain thyme! Chichiko Goletiani, by the way, thought through not only the menu but also the interior of his favourite restaurant. And down to the smallest details: porcelain door handles, old Georgian photographs on the walls, tiles bearing the coats of arms of Georgian cities, a ceiling covered in curly Georgian letters — these are lines of verse by the great poets. Georgian cuisine, in fact, is poetry itself.

Practical details

WHAT: a good Tbilisi restaurant.

WHERE: Beliashvili Street, 41, and also on the Kakheti Highway on the road to Tbilisi airport.

IMPORTANT: the chance of finding a free table at Kakhelebi is close to zero, so it is better to book a table in advance.

Photo caption. Today it is hard to believe that the story of Kakhelebi began in 1998 with a tiny little restaurant with a couple of tables inside and three dishes on the menu. But even in those days the local cooks made shashlik, khashlama and tatariakhni for their guests the way they would for their own mother.

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · p. 178 · Tbilisi, Georgia. Original title: “К ЧИЧИКО НА ХАЧАПУРИ”.

A script for a spontaneous February break

Here is a small script for a spontaneous February break. Buy a ticket to Tbilisi, rent a room in the Sololaki district, have breakfast on flaky achma still breathing heat from the khachapuri place on the corner, buy a ticket for the play "Ramona" at Rezo Gabriadze's Puppet Theatre, weep quietly for an hour in the dark hall over the love story of two steam locomotives and listen to the man on your right crying too (and the one on your left as well), wait for the curtain and go to the theatre cafe. Which, as Rezo Levanovich intended it, was created "so that one coffee bean would be roasted there all the time and the smell would spread through the theatre...".

The Georgian behind Mimino, the planet Plyuk and the Chizhik-Pyzhik

Remember "I want Larisa Ivanovna" from "Mimino", the planet Plyuk and the Fiddler from "Kin-dza-dza"? All of that was invented by Rezo Gabriadze. Besides dozens of screen stories and screen heroes, this fantastic Georgian created the chizhik-pyzhik (the little siskin bird) in Piter (St Petersburg) and the monument to Rabinovich, the hero of Odessa jokes, in Odessa. And in the very heart of Tbilisi he created a magical puppet theatre with a wonderful cafe, where people come to the "premieres" of khachapuri and wine teas.

Rezo Gabriadze himself thought the interior of the place through down to the last trifle — the paintings and posters on the walls, the sculptural compositions, the ceramics, the tables, the chairs and even the curtains on the windows were made from his sketches. At the entrance guests are greeted by a little bronze bird, the first copy of that very Petersburg chizhik from the Fontanka. You may stroke it: they say it brings luck.

Wine labels, film quotations and a heart-shaped table

The bar counter is decorated with a ceramic panel composed on motifs from the film "Ne goryuy!" ("Don't Grieve!"). Bottles of Georgian wines are lined up on the shelves, and Rezo drew their labels. All the tables and chairs are painted over with lines from "Kin-dza-dza", "Mimino", "Chudaki" ("The Eccentrics") and "Brilliant marshala de Fantier" ("The Diamond of Marshal de Fantier"). There is also a heart-shaped table for lovers — book it for St Valentine's Day. And we will tell you what to order.

What to order — and whom you may meet there

Without a second thought, take the "mchadi kneaded in thoughts" (in reality these are corn flatbreads with cheese), the "Chizhi-Pyzhi" bake, the chicken in blackberry sauce fried on a keci pan, the "Semechki po-bakinski" ("Baku-style sunflower seeds") shashlik and the apple pie by Manana Tavadze. And if there is still room left — take pelamushi, a Georgian pudding of flour and grape juice, with a cup of tea brewed on thyme and wine.

The Gabriadze family lives next door, so in the cafe you can quite easily run into Rezo Levanovich himself, and many Tbilisi artists, and simply good people from all over the world who have looked in for Kutaisi gorkom-style kharcho (in the manner of the city Party committee canteen) and a gin and tonic with cucumber.

WHAT: Gabriadze Cafe.

WHERE: 12 Shavteli Street, two steps from the Peace Bridge, Tbilisi, Georgia.

A REVIEW ON TRIPADVISOR: "Once, in his 'Neputyovye zametki' ('Wayward Notes'), the traveller Dmitry Krylov recommended the doughnuts at Rezo Gabriadze's. And he was a thousand times right! Even if we are walking past this theatre cafe after a hearty dinner somewhere else, we still go in precisely for the doughnuts with custard cream. At least one portion between the two of us! They are incomparable!"

*On the pediment of the theatre Rezo Gabriadze's motto is written — Extra Cepam Nihil Cogito Nos Lacrimare. In translation it means: "Let the tears be only from chopping onions".

Translated in full from the Russian original — Belavia OnAir · pp. 142–143 · Tbilisi, Georgia. Original title: “ПУСТЬ СЛЕЗЫ БУДУТ ТОЛЬКО ОТ РЕЗКИ ЛУКА*”.