Great caviars, vodka, borscht and apple strudel just around the corner from Orchestra Hall, the Art Institute and the Loop's theaters. Don't expect a light meal (though a vegetarian can do well for herself), but do expect a delicious one.

Opened by mother-son team Klara and Vadim Muchnik in 1993, the restaurant serves much-praised Russian fare (as well as dishes from the Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Georgia). Start with the blinchiki, two blintzes filled with ground beef, caramelized onions and drizzled with an avocado-coriander cream, or dare to try Russian delicacy seliedka: chilled slices of vinegar-marinated herring.

Entrees, most just under $20, run the gamut from Georgian chicken tapaka (sauteed with paprika) to braised lamb shank to guriev blini, two Russian pancakes served with melted butter, raspberry sauce and sour cream. Do have a designated driver for this one, as it'd be a crime to miss (and drive home after indulging in) the $11 vodka flights, three one-ounce shots from a list that includes house-flavored coriander vodka, Poland's Belvedere and Russia's Rodina. Afternoon tea service is available daily from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Average cost: $10-$20