As in any respectable eatery, the time between noon and 3 p.m. is for businesspeople. The business lunch, created by Swiss cook Rene Julen, boasts a rich choice of salads and hot dishes plus a glass of cold beer for 345 rubles.

To tell you the truth, it is easy to find a cheaper business-lunch in the city. Yes, business-lunch at Club 17 is not cheap, but you get all the culinary delight you pay for.

On weekdays from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., you can make use of their happy hour, when every other beer is free.

On Saturday nights, the club fills up with jazz aficionados who come to hear the star of Russia's modern jazz, Sergei Manukian.

At other times, Club 17 is simply a place to enjoy exquisite dishes and the cozy English-style interior.

The first floor is the club's bar, Twilight, featuring stained-glass windows and walls decorated with engravings. This is a place for leisure cocktail sipping, relaxing banter and romantic rendezvous.

The second floor restaurant features a very different atmosphere, however its interior is also stylish. The spacious room is decorated with a beautiful model ship, huge ale mugs, a wicker crate, and seascape paintings of the Foggy Albion. Tracery chairs and tables, elegant layout, glittering glasses and the aroma of delicious food create a holiday atmosphere and anticipation.

Our starters arrived so quickly – we had hardly finished our aperitif. My companion took a whiskey with apple juice and I had a class of freshly squeezed juice.

The beef carpaccio with aged Parmesan cheese (325 rubles) looked appetizing, but I did not regret my choice of Vol au Vent, pastry filled with wild mushrooms and creamy sauce (290 rubles).

The chef must be a real virtuoso in flaky pastry – it was exceptionally delicate and fine. To those who like classical starters, the menu offers Caesar salad and fresh tomatoes with Mozzarella cheese.

The soup list is a combination of Russian, French and Mexican classical cuisine. Okroshka – Russian traditional cold soup with finely sliced vegetables (125 rubles) – is especially delightful now that the warm weather is here. French onion soup (150 rubles) is served appropriately with cheese toasts. Mexican Gaspacho (150 rubles), a thick tomato soup, may cool your nerves, but not your mouth – very spicy!

The Italian part of the menu also deserves attention, for example, lasagna with tender rabbit baked with cheese (200 rubles) or linguine with chicken – the pasta comes with stuffed chicken breast with cream sauce and mushrooms (225 rubles).

At this point, it was time to choose a main dish. My choice, steamed pavet of salmon on a bed of zucchini (435 rubles), proved that there is a reason for living. My companion agreed with that thought, referring to the magret of duck with green pepper (490 rubles).

For dessert, we treated ourselves to Profiterole au chocolate (170 rubles) and raspberry tart (150 rubles). The profiterole was fine, but our best words of praise were for the tart – very delicate and fragrant.

The wine list boasts a large selection of the best European wines, of which we chose Gran Corpas Tarragona, a rather full-bodied red wine, neither too sweet nor too dry.

As we left the restaurant, we noticed workers by the patio making arrangements for the restaurant's summer outdoor area. Judging by the progress of work, it will be open by the end of this month.

The easiest way to reach Bolshoi Golovin Pereulok is to go down Sretenka Ulitsa, from metro station Sukharevskaya, until it intersects with Bolshoi Golovin Pereulok. As you turn, you will pass by several shabby buildings awaiting restoration, and the first freshly restored one on your way will be No 17 which accommodates Club 17. The entrance is at the building's side-wall, under a small arch.

CLUB 17
17 Bol. Golovin Per.
Metro: Sukharevskaya
Tel: 737-4232