“Mussel Place”: Going for Mussels

“Mussel Place.” It’s time to talk, if not about the most important, then certainly about the most anticipated gastronomic opening of the year.

The location is familiar: previously, this spot was home to “Khmeli Suneli.” Renovations stretched out through the whole summer, the opening dates kept getting postponed, ads had already aired — but the doors never opened. And then suddenly, on August 29, without any prior announcements, “Mussel Place” launched. From the start, the restaurant managed to attract guests: around 6:00 PM about three-quarters of the tables were occupied, and the payment line stretched across the hall. But let’s go step by step.

According to a staff member, the last delay happened due to issues with the delivery of some equipment.

I’m sure many people have visited “Mussel Place” in Sochi or other cities and can compare. I hadn’t had that experience, so I’m sharing my fresh impressions.

Actually, the evening was supposed to go differently. We had planned all week to visit “Far Niente.” But maybe it was the long wait, maybe my mood, maybe I just burned out — something inside kept talking me out of it. And then suddenly “Mussel Place” opened. We quickly changed our plans.

Right away: there is no table reservation system at “Mussel Place.” None at all. But the renovation was done well, and the outdoor terrace plus the dining hall seat about 100–120 guests — maybe a bit more. When we arrived, there were seats available both inside and outside. We chose the hall.

One interesting detail: as soon as you enter, the smell of seafood and mussels hits you right away. Even me, with a post-COVID sense of smell that’s largely gone, could notice it. It instantly sets a seaside café mood.

Our order:

• Signature mussels in creamy cheese sauce — 890 RUB;
• Vitello tonnato with tuna — 690 RUB;
• Creamy pasta with trout — 890 RUB;
• Honey cake with lingonberries — 370 RUB;
• “Mango & Basil” lemonade — 390 RUB;
• “Pomegranate & Raspberry” lemonade — 390 RUB.

Total: 3620 RUB. Quite acceptable overall.

A unique feature — you place and pay for your order yourself. You go to the counter, give your table number and order, then pay.

Service was very fast. The first dish — mussels in a pot — arrived within five minutes. Then dessert, appetizer, drinks, and finally pasta followed quickly. All in all, we spent no more than 30–40 minutes at “Mussel Place.”

The signature mussels in the red pot are the dish to come here for. No matter what else you order, the mussels are a must.

Delicious and plentiful. The sauce was so good I ended up scooping it with half a mussel shell at the end. The portion is generous. With another glass or two of beer and an extra portion of baguette, you could easily stretch the pleasure, popping mussels like sunflower seeds.

I ordered the vitello tonnato with tuna mostly out of curiosity — tuna under tuna sauce, since in the classic recipe veal is the base. At “Mussel Place,” the slices of tuna are lightly seared with a torch before serving. Quite tasty, fresh. Curiosity satisfied, but I probably won’t order it again.

The creamy pasta with trout was also good. Plenty of delicious creamy sauce, a decent amount of trout, and perfectly cooked pasta. A pleasant dish. Is it worth almost 900 rubles? Good question. Next time I’ll try the carbonara.

The honey cake with lingonberries was perfect. If I could order it without the lingonberries, it would be even better. Reminded me of the one once served at the original “Shokoladnitsa” (not to be confused with “Shokolad.ru”). Extremely tender, with airy cream — pure delight.

The lemonades were nice, though perhaps a bit overpriced per glass. If you choose between the two we tried, go with “Mango & Basil.” It’s tastier and more intense.

Overall, there’s not much to complain about so far. The staff are attentive, quick, and friendly. Even if just formally, they do ask for feedback. Dirty dishes are cleared instantly, and as I understood, there’s no fixed waiter per table — everyone works together to make guests comfortable.

“Mussel Place” is a restaurant that was worth the wait. I’m sure we’ll be back.