Head down a dark staircase, hunt for a door bell hidden behind a painting and try to act casual as a section of the exposed brick wall swings open in rush of dry ice and pumping music. Finding Schrödinger’s Cat might seem like the end of your cocktail quest, but when you’re settled in the playful basement bar laboratory, you’ll realize the game isn’t over yet.
Physicists will be feeling smug at this point, but for those not in the scientific know, the bar takes its name from the namesake mind experiment involving a cat in a box that may be alive, dead or both simultaneously. Need a stiff drink? You’ve come to the right place. Yegor Stepanov – a finalist in the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition – heads up the bar while Sergei Astafes masterminds the kitchen. The menu, following in the scientific theme, is printed on a periodic table. “House” cocktails are cross referenced with their corresponding alcohol via color coding.
“Ketchup” anyone? The fiery blend of tomato juice, Tabasco and vodka – otherwise known as a Bloody Mary – is served in the eponymous condi ment bottle and brought to your table with a bas ket of “chips.” The chips are actually crisps and you drink the cocktail by squirting the ketchup into the accompanying shot glass. Other receptacles are equally as surprising. The “Gnome’s leg” – a blend of prosecco, rum, lime and bitters – is served in a glass shaped like a boot, while a lego man in wizard’s attire lurks at the bottom of a conical flask filled with a potent blend of gin, absinthe and bitters ( cocktails cost around 350 rubles).
The menu is equally zany. There are eight bar snacks on offer, served in take out boxes and presented on the menu as mathematical sums. As well as oriental spring rolls (380 rubles) and shrimp udon (450 rubles) you can order the mys tery “X box,” which on our visit this turned out to be deliciously sticky, marinated pork ribs (450 rubles).
Schrödinger’s cat is located in an old air raid shelter, making the experience rather like stepping into a crazy scientist’s bunker. Bar staff wear lab coats, the interior features substantial amounts of concrete and piping and table lanterns filled with candles flicker shadows on the walls. +7 (968) 459 2210kotbar.ru Ulitsa Bolshaya Dmitrovka Metro Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya
+7 (968) 459 2210
32 Ulitsa Bolshaya Dmitrovka
Metro Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
