Riding the lift up 21 floors to reach Kalina Bar is an enjoyable experience in itself. The glass elevator provides an impressive view across the city -- in fact, the view may be better than from the restaurant itself. But even there, the view is impressive, making the Kalina Bar one of Moscow's top places to gaze out over the city while you eat.

The interior, which plays second fiddle to the cityscape outside the restaurant's huge windows, is your typical upmarket Moscow fashionable restaurant design. Color scheme -- chocolate, of course. There are some vaguely psychedelic retro patterns in the decor. The most interesting design feature would have to be a large depiction of Shukhov Tower on one wall.

As would be expected, the prices here are sky high. The most inexpensive starter is a single white pearl oyster at 360 rubles. Carpaccio of marbled beef with foie gras terrine is the priciest at 1,760 rubles. Soups start at 380 rubles for chicken noodle or pea and reach 720 rubles for bouillabaisse. Pastas start at 710 rubles and include arabiatta, al'olio, pesto or pomidori. The least expensive risotto is with porcini for 940 rubles.

Seafood dishes start from 1,050 for fillet of tuna with Kenyan green beans and fried tomato sauce. Meat mains start at 710 rubles for grilled chicken. Wine by the glass starts at 600 rubles and draft beer at 370 rubles for a half-liter of Budweiser.

Kalina Bar: 8 Novinsky Bulvar, 21st floor of the Lotte Plaza shopping center, 229-5519, noon-last guest, M. Smolenskaya.