Tolstoy said: “Russia’s soul is not in Moscow, it’s in the hearts of its children”. A charming private mansion located at 59 Avenue Raymond Poincaré in the 16th district of Paris perfectly captures the meaning behind these words. Slavic Orientalism manifests here in gastronomy, travel, history, and tradition. It is a peek into the time of tsars and matryoshkas and a location that exhibits superb, exuberant, and shimmering tastes.
This Parisian house is the brainchild of two entrepreneurs: Dominique Romano and Laurent de Gourcuff. They have managed to intertwine Eastern traditions and Western modernity in a unique place full of memories.
Throughout the floors of the Russian House and its private rooms, the luxurious decoration created by the famous architect Laleh Amir Assef combines the play of alcoves, beautiful materials, and know-how, mixing Art-nouveau with East Slavic izbas. Accenting this are heavy draperies, ceilings of a dizzying height, a library, a classic fireplace, and a typical tent from the Urals. The intricate goldsmithing, the silver reflections on a simple egg cup, and the beautifully executed service also reflect the elegance and sophisticated traditions refined and inspired by flamboyant folklore.
The restaurant menu, which oscillates between great classics and more contemporary creations, will enchant both your eyes and taste buds. We love the caviar served on a spoon, the runny egg, the blue lobster, and the famous coulibiac: deliciously flaky salmon with white butter. But what would a Russian dinner be without pavlovas? Even as we were still hesitating between fruit, chocolate, caramel, or vanilla chouquettes, we knew one thing for sure: everything would be washed down with vodka as cold as a winter in Siberia.
