Amadeus, St. Petersburg

Somewhat out on a limb in St Petersburg in terms of its awkward location near Smolnyi Cathedral) , its good-quality yet sensibly-priced European cuisine, its selection of decent wines which again aren't hard on the pocket, and the endearing staff. Amadeus is a spacious, bright and cheerful restaurant in which to eat at a leisurely pace. Most evenings are accompanied by live entertainment, which usually compliments rather than disrupts the convivial mood. The performers are all very professional and offer a varied repertoire, which nonetheless keeps to a romantically-inclined tenor. Visits by Lenin and Brezhnev lookalikes are not unknown here either and you beam away with the pair of them in impromptu photo-shoots, at a small, decadent cost, of course.