Priyut Kholostyaka, the Bachelor's Refuge, is a long-running upmarket Russian and European restaurant in a 19th-century townhouse a short walk east of the Kremlin. The dining rooms are small, candlelit, and full of antiques. The menu sits between classical Russian (sturgeon, beef stroganoff, pelmeni) and European (rack of lamb, pasta, salads), and is consistently well executed.
Service is formal but warm. Wine list is one of the better ones in the city. Reservations essential for evenings. Higher-end prices but still well below comparable Moscow or St Petersburg restaurants.