RUSSIAN VODKA ROOM

265 W. 52nd Street (between 8th and Broadway)
[1, 9, C, E to 50th Street]

Brought our motley, rag tag group to the Russian Vodka Room to partake in the flavoured liquor we'd heard so much about. Inside, we saw cisterns of vodka, fresh looking fruit sitting along the top. $21 will get you a carafe of about 5shots; $58 will get you about 15. We couldn't get a table, but the bar was far more fun, anyway - more room to move between the chatting couples and threesomes in our group. However, we did keep ordering, so as to not upset the already indulgent barmaid. The fruit plate is about $20 but it helped maybe 10 people to sober up - natural sugar is the best thing for alcohol (something about burning something off?), and the fruit place came with apples, grapes, bread and cheese. Cheers, Anthea!

The vodka itself was delicious - chilly, sweet, fruity. Sipped as an aperitif or downed as a shot, it was way too tasty to fit into our conception of vodka. Which a. validates the occasional Russian substitution of vodka for wine at meals and b. reinforces my theory that we just do things wrong in this country.

Some caveats ::: Don't be put off by the crowd (newbies are readily welcomed) or the piano (its loud, and centrally located, but just clap politely and you'll be alright). Oh - and avoid Russian Samovar next door; lots of customers get confused between the two, which is only troubling because Samovar is far more ... Russian. If you're uninitiated, they can and will tell.