New restaurant Mei puts on a flashy debut in St. Petersburg
An evening at Mei starts with cool, damp hand towels and a warm welcome.
You’ll likely get the restaurant’s introductory spiel: a thoughtful summary of the menu with an emphasis on the spot’s focus on fermentation, foraging and sustainability. If you’re in the mood for wine, a sommelier will quickly appear, eager to help guide the selection — something from the Loire Valley, perhaps? And when the first dish arrives, a server will gently hover nearby while slowly pouring a bright strawberry vinaigrette over delicate slices of Japanese seabream.
If, at this point, you find yourself thinking: “Wait, this is St. Petersburg?” Well, you wouldn’t be the only one.
