Refrigerated chambers with meat stand in the center of the hall, and guests will see their steaks being prepared spectacularly.
Photos here and further: "Onliner"
The premium steakhouse Mramor is opening in the recently opened luxury hotel Waldorf Astoria Minsk at Yanka Kupala, 27. It claims to be the most expensive in Minsk — a steak here will cost from 100 to 1000 rubles, writes "Onliner".
"This concept was chosen primarily because Minsk residents are, after all, more inclined towards meat dishes," explains head chef Sergey Miralevich. "In a cold climate, caloric, nutritious, protein-rich food is needed. Global trends were also taken into account: more and more people choose meat for food, specifically good meat. Recently, in CIS countries, there have been certain difficulties with importing certain types of beef — especially marbled, Wagyu. Therefore, local quality producers are emerging."
The new restaurant's area is 268 sq. m. Inside, there are more than 50 seats, but for the warm season, a summer terrace will be installed near the entrance, which can accommodate another 35 guests. The interior is decorated in brown, sandy, and deep burgundy shades. The goal was to create a restrained design that evokes a sense of premium quality.
"The interior features many details made of natural leather, such as decorative partitions," says restaurant manager Yana Yatsyna. "The chairs we sit on are also made of natural leather. Everything around speaks of quality."
The main hall adjoins an open kitchen where steaks will be spectacularly cooked, flipped, and "bathed" in fire, and bread will be baked or meat prepared in the oven. Other dishes, whose preparation process is less interesting, will be assembled in a closed kitchen.
The interior also includes sculptures by artist Tatyana Savik, which embody the overall concept. Each sculpture depicts specific organs of a bullock.
Sergey Shokin, manager of bars and restaurants at the Minsk Waldorf Astoria, draws attention to the table setting:
"It was very important for us to convey the restaurant's atmosphere even in the details. Take, for example, the table setting. The placemats and coasters are made of natural leather. We ourselves went to the production facility in Belarus and chose this leather. The serving napkins are hand-embroidered by local artisans. As for the tableware, it was important to choose high-quality, aesthetic, and textured dishes. It was specially ordered for the hotel from the German brand Rosenthal. The tableware is classic but features the restaurant's signature coloring."
Near the entrance, there is a closed space – a so-called private dining room. The room is furnished with wine refrigerators and, if necessary, can accommodate up to 10 people.
The restaurant has an extensive wine collection – the wine list features over two hundred labels.
In the center of the restaurant are dry-aging refrigerated chambers, which are essentially part of the decor.
Sergey Miralevich explains:
"These chambers allow the meat to be in controlled conditions: to ripen, to age, so to speak. This gives it certain characteristics. That is, the process of fat oxidation occurs, which improves the aroma of the meat. It becomes richer. Enzymes begin to develop in the meat's thickness, making it softer, more tender, yet dense. Excess moisture leaves, and flavors concentrate inside.
If you look at the pieces inside the chambers, you will see that their rind is dried and darkened. This is a special 'noble' mold. After the required number of days, it is cut off, and from the inside, normal, healthy, pink meat is extracted – that is, the steak itself."
The product lives in these sophisticated refrigerators for 30 to 120 days. And at the bottom, you can notice Himalayan salt blocks. They are needed to disinfect the air circulating inside.
The menu is a mix of various world cuisines, filtered through the chef's authorial vision.
"Our menu is quite refined, a bit classic," explains Sergey Miralevich. "We have collected hits from different countries, from various world cuisines. Besides steaks, you can find, for example, tortellini – a bright representative of Italian cuisine. There's black cod with miso glaze – that's Japanese cuisine. There's onion soup – one of the most popular soups from French cuisine. We also offer classic desserts."
But the emphasis, of course, is on meat.
"Let's start with the basics. There are premium steaks: ribeye, New York. The tenderloin part – the dorsal muscle along the spine – is used for their preparation. There is another muscle located under the spine, parallel to the dorsal. It is called tenderloin – it is the only muscle in the animal's body that is absolutely not subjected to tension, so it is very tender and soft. This is also a premium product. All other parts of the carcass are alternative steaks."
In total, the menu features 8 types of steaks of different categories, but more will be added in the future.
The menu indicates the price per 100 grams, so the final price can start from 100 rubles and reach 1000 rubles.
"Mramor is positioned as a luxury restaurant where both service, dishes, and presentation are all at a high level," explain the interlocutors. "This is a place for those who tolerate no compromises. That's why we also feature unique items, such as Wagyu – Japanese beef. It's rare to find it in Belarus. Hence the corresponding prices."
Mramor steakhouse will operate exclusively in the evening format. The restaurant doors are open from 18:00 to 23:30. It is noted that there is no formal dress code, but guests are requested to come in elegant attire.
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