St. Petersburg Feature

Aquarel. With three stories of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Vasilievsky Island's Rostral Columns and Stock Exchange, this flashy restaurant-boat docked on the Neva River has great views. There are two restaurants here, Aquarel and Aquarelissimo, and a disco on the top deck. The former combines European and Asian cuisines. Try the terrine of foie gras with cognac-scented winter fruits, Thai lobster hot pot, or Asian brined veal chops. The latter, on the third floor, serves modern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The tapas menu is a tempting option, while pasta papardelle and vitello tonnato (fillet of veal and fresh bluefin tuna) are among the restaurant's signature dishes. Near Birzhevoy most, Petrograd Side, St. Petersburg. 812/320-8600. Metro: Sportivnaya.

Bessonnitsa. At the classy "Insomnia," innovative chefs creatively interpret European and Asian dishes. Veal fillet is served with fried grapefruit and blackberry sauce. The pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup) arrives sizzling hot, leaving you to put the finishing touches on it by dropping in thin slices of raw meat. Pasta farfalle with mushrooms and cedar nuts is fresh and aromatic. Consider carrot cutlets and the French omelet for breakfast. Beige linen, terra-cotta lamps, and chocolate-color walls make up this comfortable spot, which overlooks the Winter Palace. 3 Mytninskaya nab., Petrograd Side, St. Petersburg, 197198. 812/919-3577. Reservations essential. Metro: Sportivnaya.