A growing number of Chinese restaurants are opening in Moscow as a result of the warm China-Russia relations. (Photo : YouTube)
Moscow’s dining scene is seeing a new trend as Chinese restaurants are mushrooming in the Russian capital, according to an article by CRIENGLISH.com.
The report said that most of the Chinese restaurants are owned by Russians, but a growing number belong to foreign investors and some come from China, attributed to the flourishing political and economic relations between China and Russia.
According to the report, there were only a few Chinese restaurants in Moscow a few years ago, but over the past year, more and more restaurants offering authentic Chinese food have sprung up in the capital.
Aleksander Orlov, a well-known restaurateur and the owner of a chain called Tanuki that offers Asian cuisine, has recently opened a new restaurant that specializes in Chinese food.
"Chinese food was much undervalued in Russia," Orlov said. "I have been saying this for years. More restaurants are opening now and I think it is a trend and Chinese food is becoming very popular."
An upscale Chinese restaurant called Soluxe was opened by a Chinese investment group, CNPC, about a year ago. The restaurant serves imperial Chinese food and caters mainly to business people.
Ekaterina Zvezdina, the restaurant's manager, believed that the rise in popularity of Chinese food in Russia may be attributed to the warm relations between Moscow and Beijing.
"I think that popularity of Chinese cuisine has something to do with politics," Zvezdina said. "Russia-China relations are rapidly developing, there's a gas contract in place and many businesses in Russia have offices in China or investment in China. They try the food in China and they want to try it in Russia and take their business partners to such restaurants."
Between Dec. 2014 and Feb. 2015, 8 percent of Moscow's restaurants closed down as a result of the economic crisis. But Chinese food entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future, the report said.
"I am sure that this trend will continue. . . . I think that the popularity of all things Chinese will continue to grow," Zvezdina added.
It has been difficult for European restaurants without their foreign brands of cheese and meats since the ban on Western food imports was introduced. However, Russia welcomes Chinese food, which is very much available, the report said.
