Some Russian people are not eager to remember the recent soviet past of the country and are rather ashamed of it. The others on the contrary draw inspiration from it. The 20s of the 20th century were a post revolutionary epoch, controversial epoch when the most romantic dreams were tightly connected with the most destructive ideas. The designer Sergey Gusev discovered a special charm of the era of Military communism and NEP (New Economical Policy) and decided to create an absolutely new restaurant that would have been highly appreciated by revolutionists Rodchenco and Mayakovsky. As a result, the restaurant-bar Propaganda, situated 50 meters away from Nevsky prospect, appeared. There are two dining halls and spacious foyer in this restaurant.
The restaurant is decorated according to the aesthetics of the 20s that denied bourgeois way of life and pomposity. Rough and heavy furniture, homemade lampshades, metal constructions are the main elements of the restaurant interior. The guests not accustomed to the proletarian minimalism are likely to be surprised at table-clothes. They are disposable, made from rough wrapping papers and are kept on an old industrial paper-machine. The distinctive feature of the restaurant is the large bookshelve where you can find quite a surprising collection of books. There are volumes of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese poetry and the socialistic reports. The walls are decorated with unique original-time posters in constructive style of soviet 1920s. The color scheme is (as it quite clear) comprised of military green and revolutionist red.
There is no live music except for special occasion. The barman chooses CDs with modern music. Each table is equipped with individually controlled music speakers for you to set music volume. In summer, you can enjoy the songs of live crickets that live in the corners of the restaurant.
The menu of the restaurant is international. There you'll find Japanese harmony, Kamchatka steak, Mexican fiesta salad, Arabic dumplings and Farmers treat as well as other dishes. During the day time the salad-bar is open. The wine list is quite multifarious. Try truly Russian cocktails Tereshkova, Gagarin, Baikonur, X-ray or Propeller.
For tourists and tourist groups the restaurant offers special menus. For example, there is menu Samovar, Babushka, Matreshka, Window on Europe, Tsar's Dinner. They are comprised of the traditional Russian dishes that enjoy a wide popularity in the Soviet period. They are pelmeni, borsch, Russian vinaigrette salad with Mustard sauce, red caviar with blini (pancakes), etc.
The experienced staff of the restaurant will be glad to help you organize any banquet, solemn occasion or business-lunch both individual and group. While the restaurant is quite an original one any celebration it houses is sure to be successful and memorable. With the help of decoration the hall can be turned into a submarine, florist shop or even in your own flat (in this case your help is required). Individually comprised menu and live music will create the necessary basis for the wonderful evening.
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