‘Taste manufactory’ proclaims this stylish newcomer, and certainly the Russian-style cooking is both distinctive and delicious. Sample authentic Eastern European flavours and opt for the herring salad followed by beef stroganoff or Slavic-stewed duck with buckwheat. There’s even a spot of Russo-Kazakh fusion going on: Russian pelmeni (ravioli) comes served in a distinctly Central Asian pumpkin soup – an inspired combination. For alcohol-free refreshment, try a jug of home-made fresh fruit lemonade; just the ticket on a hot day. The rather mix-and-match approach to decorating somehow works, with three elegant rooms spread over two floors and a smart outdoor terrace complete with bicycle rickshaw. The large-scale wall murals are particularly eye-catching, not least one depicting the eponymous author sporting his trademark hat. He needn’t look so worried, though, as his memory is kept alive and well here.