‘Indiana Jones never had it so good," you will think to yourself as you slide into your slick, comfortable chair at the new Discovery club, which claims to be aimed at those who love adventure travel. The stylish wood interior, fireplace and skylights make it a cozy but hip place to pass the evening.

According to the club's event organizer, Bayata Tila, Discovery is a "conceptual club" marketed at "fans of the Discovery Channel," though she noted that it was in no way affiliated with the documentary station. This is not a place to dance the night away; it's a place for rich people who like to travel and, to prove it, the restaurant carries a variety of travel magazines. To attract adventure lovers, the club plans to hold "outdoors- or travel-themed" events every two weeks. There has already been a SCUBA diving party and this week featured a yachting event called "Volvo Ocean Race," highlighting yachting in Sydney.

To keep you on the edge of your seat, the menu features a variety of exotic fare and prices that will get your adrenaline pumping. This correspondent's nearly stopped beating when he learned that his Foster's – read cheap Australian beer – cost 105 for half a liter. Meat dishes are priced from around 175-580 rubles and the seafood menu runs from 245-700 rubles.

Each event has its own theme-specific food, in addition to the regular menu. The special last weekend, to go with the Australian theme, was exotic fare like kangaroo meat pies (kind of like Russian pirozhki go Down Under), which cost 150 rubles for two. For a highlight of the regular menu, seafood lovers should check out the massive fish fondue with sturgeon, salmon, shrimp, tuna, mushrooms, rice and soy sauce for 595 rubles.

Entertainment at the "yachting party" included watching the Volvo Ocean Race on the big screen, bluegrass music, prizes and the obligatory dancing girls (though they were clothed). Guests seemed to enjoy the music, but this correspondent felt culturally violated by the imitation country line dance the girls performed.

The sports-themed parties, big-screen TV and dancing girls seemed to clash with the club's elegant surroundings. It's sort of like a chic Swiss ski lodge combined with a sports bar, but the professional and efficient staff ensure that the dining experience is pleasant, in spite of the noise from cheering, drunken Discovery Channel fans.

As any restaurant patron in Russia knows, the staff is usually incapable of carrying a full tray of beer and food. Usually, they shuffle back and forth to the kitchen over and over again, gingerly carrying two plates of food each trip – not so here. This staff knows how to hustle and juggle a full load, the hallmark of a good waitstaff.

To keep adventure-lovers cheering, there is no shortage of fine alcohol in this place and there are two bars to make sure that patrons will always be within easy reach of whatever beverage they crave. To contribute to the club's exotic, "adventure-travel-oriented" atmosphere, the flagship beer is Australian Foster's. For those looking for something less exotic – but good – there are several imported German beers and other drinks for snobs. The bar is stocked with 12 kinds of whiskey and Piper Hiedsig Champagne, (1,500 rubles for 375 ml) as opposed to the Sovetskoye Champanskoye savored by your average peasant.

Simple people may be a bit put-off by the prices in this place, but the bold adventure traveler will have nothing to fear, provided his or her wallet is fat enough.

DISCOVERY CLUB
24 Novokuznetskaya Ul., Bldg. 2.
Metro: Paveletskaya.
Tel: 953-3863.
Hours: Noon to midnight.
Cover: None.