Firebird Restaurant 365 W. 46th St. (8th & 9th Aves.)
Hell's Kitchen
212.586.0244
Firebird Restaurant:
Remember how in Rocky IV, Dolph Lundgren made you hate all things Russian with his expensive workout equipment and stuffy “I’ll break you” press conference attitude? Firebird does its best to change that point of view, but not without attempting to break your bankroll with a bit of its own stuffiness. A dress code is enforced for one thing, and the indifferent attitude that resonates from the stoic staff can be a bit intimidating. Just try to focus on the stately décor: the gold-painted ceiling and the antique furniture, especially in the second-floor parlor—these couches and chairs would have been coated in plastic if your grandmother had anything to say about it. Original costumes from the Ballet Russe are on display in the Blue Room, and the Dostoevsky-dedicated Library is sure to impress that Russian lit major you’re sweet on. The most important thing to take in? Vodka. There are 20 varieties of infused vodka—honey is a favorite—and a list of blended Russian teas to get your Yeltsin on.
