To be frank, I was not very enthusiastic about reviewing the club-restaurant KoKo. First, its name is just too cutesy, and, second, it opened in the building that used to accommodate the now-extinct club Radio GaGa, which was, without exaggeration, the absolute worst of Moscow's nightclub world. And third, KoKo is located in the back of beyond, behind the Olympiisky Sports Complex. But, since the new clubbing season had not yet opened, I had my marching orders from the editor: "As long as we don't have anything new or original, we'll review KoKo."

The explanation for the name KoKo is very simple: The director's name is Kolya and he has a company. I was prepared for the worst. But it turned out to be much better than I expected. Their Latin parties every Wednesday on a spacious dance floor (370 sq. meters) have about a dozen pairs mastering the art of salsa, merenge and tango under a coach's supervision. On Fridays and Saturdays at midnight, the club's stage hosts Antony Sax Solo, a joint project of saxophonist Anton Rumyantsev and DJ Multik. Rumyantsev, who graduated from the Gnesiny Academy of Music, is a member of Anatoly Kroll's "My iz dzhaza" (We Are From Jazz) band and the Oleg Lungstrem jazz ensemble.

KoKo is a rare place where music seems to be everywhere, yet several tiny rooms, nooks and crannies, all dimly lit and separated by heavy velvet curtains, sllow you to escape from it. The stage can be seen from almost any point in the club - you just have to move the curtains. The "red zone," with all its couches and cushions, can accommodate 25 people behind a thick curtain. Also, there are cozy, smaller VIP rooms. And each area has its own style and mood, from the moderately pompous, dark green room, with chairs with carved legs and walls with gilded patterns; to a purple area with soft divans for reclining and meditation.

The cuisine is dominated by European dishes, such as tomatoes stuffed with smoked salmon and goat cheese, and squid and prawn salad with turkey. For 300 rubles you can enjoy salmon baked in white wine with sote cucumbers with prawn sauce and clams baked with peas and paprika. KoKo is OK. The club is destined to win a flock of fans and admirers, but many clubbers will be put off by its long distance from the center and its widely varying crowd. All very tempting, but a bit scary.