Is it possible to taste history? At Moscow Restaurant in Beijing you absolutely can.
Let me introduce you to Moscow Restaurant. It is more than just a place to eat. Moscow Restaurant is a symbol of a unique time in Sino-Soviet relations.
Founded in 1954 Moscow Restaurant was part of the Soviet Exhibition Center. The goal was simple. It should promote friendship between China and the Soviet Union. Soviet architects designed the restaurant. It showcased Stalinist architecture. Chinese citizens could learn about Soviet life and culture. Moscow Restaurant became one of the “Sino-Soviet friendship buildings”. It was part of modernizing China after the Soviet Union.
Initially Moscow Restaurant served Soviet visitors. Ambassadors dined here. Advisors and scientists enjoyed its meals. Chinese students who had studied in the Soviet Union were also guests. Premier Zhou Enlai even hosted Khrushchev’s delegation here. Ordinary Chinese citizens needed special meal tickets. Only politicians and celebrities could get them.
Later Moscow Restaurant opened to the public. It started accepting cash. But dining here was still a rare treat because of the high prices. The Chinese government portrayed the Soviet Union as a utopia. Moscow Restaurant became a status symbol. Young people saved up to visit it. One man even proposed while singing “Moscow Nights”. He had saved for three months to bring his girlfriend here.
The Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s changed everything. Moscow Restaurant was denounced as counter-revolutionary. Soviet culture was prohibited. The Soviet Exhibition Center became the Beijing Exhibition Center. The restaurant was renamed the Beijing Exhibition Restaurant.
During the Cultural Revolution Red Guards stormed Moscow Restaurant. They accused the staff of cooking “revisionist food”. They used the dining hall as a place to sleep. Soviet-trained cooks had to make only Chinese food. Moscow Restaurant shut down for a year. It reopened as a cafeteria. It served simple Chinese dishes like fried rice. Western food service returned in 1969. It became Beijing’s only publicly open Western restaurant again.
China’s liberalization brought new challenges. The restaurant changed. On November 7, 1984, it reverted to its original name. Moscow Restaurant became well-known across the city. It was no longer limited to the privileged. Despite its Western appearance the dishes were affordable. In the 1980s it became a popular place for weddings. Older residents felt nostalgia for its history. The admiration for Soviet culture lived on. This happened despite the government’s efforts to remove Soviet influence.
Moscow Restaurant covers 1,300 square meters. It seats 600 people. Ballroom chandeliers light up the interior. Towering pillars add to its grandeur. Renovations in 2000 changed its style. But patrons missed the older look. So it was renovated again in 2009. This restored it to its original style. The menu rarely changes. It still serves Russian fare. Borscht is on offer. So is beef solyanka. Cream of mushroom soup is another popular dish. Of course, there is chicken Kiev. Do not forget the kvass.
Moscow Restaurant hosted many prominent figures. Mao Zedong dined here. So did Zhu De. It has also appeared in Chinese literary works. Depictions vary. Some associate it with the revolutionary spirit of the 1950s. Others remember it with nostalgia. The film “In the Heat of the Sun” features it. So does the TV series “The Place Where Dreams Start”. Wang Shuo’s novel “Playing for Thrills” mentions it too. Even former Minister of Culture Wang Meng wrote about it. His memoir is called “The Singing was like Radiant Spring”.
Moscow Restaurant is more than a restaurant. It is a cultural landmark. It reflects the complex history of Sino-Soviet relations. It evokes memories of a bygone era. So come. Taste the history. Experience the nostalgia at Moscow Restaurant.