Recently on a small getaway weekend in NYC, my husband and I came across a restaurant in the heart of the Gramercy area just north of 14th Street that he had visited in Baku and Moscow. Looking for a place to have a nice di
nner and usually quite picky about what we choose to eat, it was nice to find a place with class, elegance, and a non-fussy menu. I hate Fussy on a menu. I don’t need infusion, weird beet ketchup, or “picks” aka fried pickles. I want real food, served in a real way without all the fuss.
Mari Vanna offered all that and more. The waitstaff was friendly, the food was fantastic, and the atmosphere was truly authentic. Authentic in the fact that it was like walking into an early 20th Century Russian Home. 
Having lived in the Eastern Block for quite a long period of time, I’ve had my peaks into these types of homes and they are always so very interesting. They tend to be filled with porcelain, grandiose chandeliers, doilies, and walls covered in wallpaper that covers wallpaper after wallpaper.
The food was as authentic as the environment of the restaurant and allowed for a great meal. All of your Russian Cuisine favorites can be found on the menu and the drinks list is also extensive and well prepared. The atmosphere could not have been changed in the slightest to meet the elegance and authenticity of the historical homes of the late 19th, early 20th Century in Russia.
At Ciel, we value the need for diversity in one’s life and way of living. We believe our customers are interested in the finer things in life and the differences in all cultures and cuisines. We offer our clients great ideas for them to grow on to build their dream homes on Elk Mountain Scenic Highway. Often, when I’m in New York or other cities, I relish in the fact that so much can be offered to people looking for a difference. A difference that represents the best quality, without prejudice or pretentious behaviors.