MO SC O W HOW DO YOU DO... MOSCOW! - Passport magazine

Restaurant Review
text by Charles W. Borden
photos by Alina Ganenko
3 August 2009
Bolshoi restaurant is also known as Big. It is surprising that
someone has not used this name yet for a Moscow restaurant
but it has just opened at the southwest corner of Kuznetsky
Most and Petrovka not far from the Bolshoi Theater. This is
one of Arkady Novikov’s latest ventures and Grand would be a
better expression, or Opulent to describe the first impression
upon entering Bolshoi’s modest lobby. The colors are stark
white and black accented with large, colorful, modern canvases
throughout, the deep purple fabric and brown leather
upholstery of the dining chairs, and a splash of greenery from
the white orchids. A side hall is decorated with classic deep
brown polished wood from floor to ceiling. Though the restaurant
itself is not Big, the concept tries to be.
Ushered to our table, we discussed the design with the
management and were informed that it was “Ralph Lauren”,
though when we left we were still unsure if Ralph Lauren had
been involved in the design, had supplied the furnishings,
or was simply its inspiration. The description taken from the
Ralph Lauren home website is a fair characterization of Bol-