THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Mari Vanna

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Mari Vanna Restaurant Review:

This surreally posh WeHo outpost is the latest in a chain of upscale Russian restaurants spanning Moscow, New York, London and D.C., named after the old-world legend of grandmother Mari Vanna. Formerly the digs of Bastide, the space stretches out over a large garden patio, a fireplace-lit dining room, a charming whitewashed sunroom and a lively bar, where blinged-out patrons sip horseradish vodka or Mors, a Russian berry cocktail. Jam-packed with tchotchkes, flowery china cats, teapots and birdhouses, it’s like an eccentric Russian aunt’s dacha. A jovial accordionist wanders throughout playing songs that might inspire you to drink more infused vodkas. Traditional Russian specialties are authentic, yet elegant, ranging from borscht and a house-cured herring to classic Olivier salad, stuffed cabbage, handmade veal pelmeni and cheese vareniki, beef stroganoff and chicken Kiev. Blini with high-quality salmon caviar (and fixings) is quite reasonable, but the finer caviar selections --- Sterling Royal, osetra, Keluga --- start at more than $100 and can set you back as much as $595 for 90 grams. For dessert, the bird’s milk cake is as light as a feather.