It’s not like expats didn’t use to have a place to go to in Moscow. Certainly that’s not so. But most of the venues geared toward Westerners were either meat markets or outrageously expensive. This place, as I was told, has a totally different concept, and laid-back Western standards seem to be really and truly implemented into it.

Located in one of those cozy side streets, a five-minute walk from metro Kitai-Gorod, the new Expat Club consists of a large room upstairs divided into a dining area, bar and dancefloor, and a lounge downstairs. The lounge has comfortable couches scattered around the bar and a billiards table. At one side of the room are two bookcases half-filled with novels, ranging from Ken Kesey to "Star Trek" to "Doctor Zhivago." "You can come and just have a cup of coffee and sit downstairs, reading a book for the whole day if you want," Sergei Sidorov, the club’s directorm said. "No one will say, ‘Hey, all you had was a cup of coffee – get out,’ or something like that."

The menu does not offer Russian cuisine, because, according to Sidorov, "There are enough places in Moscow for national food." Instead, it concentrates on European and American dishes. A Caesar salad is 150 rubles, and pureed broccoli and pumpkin soup is a mere 80 rubles. The menu also includes exotic dishes, such as Mango salad (240 rubles) and Cleopatra trout filled with shrimp and pomegranates (450 rubles). For those who like variety, there is a one-third-portion menu for some dishes.

For the past 12 years, Sidorov said, he has resided in the United States, most of the time organizing tours for some of Russia’s most famous rock bands, such as Mashina Vremeni and ChaiF. His Americanization has rubbed off on the bar menu: All the alcoholic-beverage prices end with a nine, probably as another comfort factor for those expats who can’t do without the psychological difference between $9.99 and $10 they’re so accustomed too. A shot of whisky ranges from 69-899 rubles.

"So what does the average expat look like?" I tried to find out. Well, the general impression I got was of a man (yes, yes, a very chauvinistic image indeed) in his mid-30s, struggling away with the Russian language, longing for some ale and sick of English pubs and Moscow’s sleazy clubs. And also, this "expat" is definitely not too worried about overeating or sifting through one too many of the over 100 brands of whisky. There will be as many Russians in the place as foreigners, and Sidorov hopes that they are basically the same, except for the language factor.

As facts go, I found out that there are approximately 50,000 expats here, i.e., Western European and North American citizens – a population enough for a small city. This number does not include the thousands of tourists and businessmen who arrive daily, the name alone is certain to attract a crowd.

And the venue does, really already has garnered a constant clientele – from the EU office building located just down the street. Sidorov said that since the club opened Nov. 16, almost 50 people from this office alone have been coming every weekday for the Expat Club’s 129-ruble four-course business lunch. Many more come to relax after the workday for the 7 p.m. to 9 p.m dinner and a movie: A different DVD movie is shown every day on a large screen behind the dance floor.

The music program varies from day to day, alternating between Russian rock and jazz. Starting in the New Year, Thursday nights will be devoted to blues and other novelties will be introduced.

Certainly, even a Westernized club here in Moscow can’t do without extensive security and meticulous frisking at the door. However, even these harsh realities are unrecognizably remodeled at the Expat Club. All the guards wear a badge saying "Peacekeeper" – and even occasionally smile – and the frisking is unusually non-belligerent for Moscow: "Please, sir, would you be so kind as to show me your bag, if that wouldn’t bother you too much."

"We just want our guests to be happy," Sidorov said. You can’t argue with something like that.

EXPAT CLUB
4/1 Pevchesky Pereulok.
Metro: Kitai-Gorod.
Tel: 298-5414.
Hours: Noon - 6 a.m.
Cover: 50-250 rubles.