Mari Vanna — Restaurant in London

My review from 2 years ago: "Our fav place for Russian cuisine in the city. A bit pricey but worth every penny."

My review from my yesterday's experience: "I have been going to this restaurant for at least 6 or 7 years and always loved it. But this time I was highly disappointed. The staff was supper rude to us. For example, the manager hit my friend with a door and instead of apologising that lady started telling my friend off for not being careful enough (even though my friend was standing in the corridor taking pictures and the manager opened the door and hit her in the shoulder which looked like was done on purpose). The lady who was taking the order from our table was a bit rude as well speaking to us. When she brought plates and placing them on the table she literally hit my friend with one of plates and again no apologies whatsoever (that would be considered a simple politeness in this case). The most disappointing moment was that it was my birthday and when they brought a cake for me there were no candles or music (even though so many times we went to this restaurant before for birthday occasions and always it would be a candle and Russian birthday song). At first I thought that maybe they changed the rules which was fine. But I was highly disappointed when in literally 20 minutes from when we got our cakes, the staff put a music and brought a birthday cake to the table not far from ours. Which means that they didn't do it only for us. Everyone in our team was super nice, polite and smiley that I seriously didn't understand the reasons for such rude attitude to us. Unless we were targeted because we were Russians. But I do hope that it was not the real reason and it was about something else (even though i keep thinking about it and still cant find any other explanation). I must say that the food was still good but my last evening experience will definitely put me off going to this place any time soon or recommending it to any of my friends and relatives. I hope this unreasonable attitude to their customers will change and we can again enjoy nice time...

At first glance, the dining area seems rather cluttered but then it strangely grows on you and suddenly seems right. The restaurant is decorated as some suburban Imperial Russian "dacha" countryside house with vintage furniture. Almost, like a Russian grandmother's living room adorned with pictures of Russian leaders, vases, flowery patterns and shelves with Samavars - tea urns.

As I glanced at their menu, I was a bit sceptical as to what salad to order as I'm not a fan of all those potato mayonnaise combinations in Russian salads so I opted for their Home Style Vegetarian Salad (£9.00) with Olive Oil dressing on the side - a basic salad of crispy colourful ingredients.

For mains, their traditional Russian “blinis” with Lightly Salted Salmon (£18.00) were more like crepes than blinis but nonetheless arrived warm and were freshly made.

Accompanied with this, were the Ukranian Dumplings with potato and mushroom filling (£14.00) which reminded me of good home-made Gnocchi. The highlight of the meal which stole my heart was their Khachapuri bread (£15.00) - their beloved bread of Georgia made with an unusual cheese called Sulguni.

For dessert, I had their Honey cake. This typically Russian cake is sure to leave you speechless – a wonderfully soft cake made with several thin layers of sponge that is filled with a combination of honey and cream.

At the end of the meal, the bill is brought in a Palekh jewelry box; a famous Russian craft exclusively created by the artists of the village of Palekh – a rather quirky touch.

Mari Vanna has other branches in St Petersburg, Moscow and New York. It is very much frequented by the Russian clientele in London which I suppose is a testament to the authenticity for their pricey menu. However, portions are generous and service is efficient. It was packed on a weekday so I suggest booking in advance. This place has a bizarre charm about it. For a different eating experience, why not travel back in time for one night in the old...

I had a disappointing experience with Mari Vanna restaurant, which led me to question their commitment to customer service. While I understand that my late-night message may have been inappropriate, I believe it’s important for establishments in a bustling, international city like London to be responsive to customer inquiries, considering the diverse time zones their patrons may be in.

My initial interaction with the restaurant was disheartening. I inquired about booking a table for 20 people, and I was met with an astonishing requirement of a £3500 minimum spend, equating to a staggering £175 per person. This seemed unreasonable, especially when compared to the option of booking a banquet hall in a large hotel.

Furthermore, my request for an alternative to a private event setup was met with inflexibility. I was told we had to opt for a £65 set menu, even though my friends and I preferred ordering a la carte dishes. Initially, I was assured that a pre-order would allow us to order individual dishes, but when I requested a photo of the setup for 20 people, I received no response for three days.

Upon reaching out to the restaurant again, I was assisted by a lady named Evgeniya, who responded in a manner I found curt and unprofessional. She stated that they could only accommodate 20 guests downstairs for a private event and that a la carte options were not available for a group of this size.

What perplexes me is that their website displays a range of dishes priced from £20 to £27, which contradicts the £3500 minimum spend requirement for a private event. When service charges are factored in, it would mean we’d have to order 100 main dishes to meet that threshold, which feels unreasonable.

In the end, my experience left me disheartened and frustrated with the restaurant’s approach and the unprofessionalism of its staff. While one rude employee can be overlooked, encountering two in succession suggests a systemic issue with their training and...