Skinny Guy

Hey, I finally bought a ticket for August 30th so I thought I would revive my post for the folks who didn't see it 2 months ago. Still seeking advice, although what I've gotten so far has been very helpful!

Well Alinka I was all set to correct you on "ikra" but then you got all the meanings down. You've done a fine job here and it seems a shame to let it go gently. Since you've asked for my input I'll gladly share. Speaking of ikra, the black stuff has doubled in price at least in the last 3 years, but you can still get 50-850 gram tins of ossetrina, sevruga, and beluga caviar here. The best place I've found to shop, where the vendors will open up the bigger tins to give you a Baskin-Robbins type taste spoon, is at Dorogomilovski Rynok, near Kievski Station. All the locals know it. Of course, in typical Russian fashion, you can get your caviar, bedsheets, umbrellas and batteries within 100 meters of ech other at that market. What do the locals eat (beside Russian food)? Well they LOVE sushi and Georgian food, and a huge number of such establishments which are around. Anyway I will gladly answer a call for recommendations or further questions. Cheers from Moscow!!!

Hi Alinka, Just got back from vacation in Ukraine and saw your blog. Good work. I've lived in Moscow for 11 years and after owning and running my own place now work as an independent industry consultant. If you need any tips, advice, recommendations just PM me. The place I consult for does the gum in the bill thing. They really don't do mints here so it's kind of a substitute and Russkis believe (for right or wrong) that it stimulates digestion. I have to put my 2 kopeks in about underground kiosk pastries (sloiki). Although not at the same level as bakery or coffeeshop pastries, at 60 cents equivalent per pop they make excellent between meal snacks. The ones at Nyam-Nyam are superior to the ones at Da! My favorite pastry place from St. Petersburg has just opened a place in Moscow - Baltiskii Klheb (Baltic Bread). I don't know the address but am planning to check it out soon. I'll check out the rest of your blog and put in more info later. I really went through the whole thing just now at top speed and there seemed to be some still-unanswered questions out there. I'll try to help Alinka answer them if I can if any of you wish to re-post them.

Thanks for the quick replies! I came out of Columbia U in '91 and worked as an overqualified bartender til I went to grad school in '93. I worked for a small restaurant group in Moscow for a year (96-97), then worked independently from then on in and project managed and managed several privately held restaurant/clubs including my own. I'd love to continue as a project manager/consultant but without a NY track record I wouldn't sneeze at a solid restaurant management gig.

Hello All! Well I'm not even sure if I'm posting in the right place for starters. I need some advice from folks working in the biz in the NYC metro area. I last worked there in 1993, and have lived the last ten years in Russia doing just about everything you can do in the restaurant business here, from project management to financial reporting to marketing to ownership structuring. I'm planning on moving back to NYC in August. So, Are there any restaurant/hospitality search firms/headhunters you would recommend/NOT recommend? Ditto for restaurant consultancy and planning firms? How would you describe the supply/demand balance of qualified industry managers in the metro area? Any Do's or Don'ts that have helped you get good jobs? Thanks in advance for your answers and advice!