{"id":6331,"date":"2022-04-30T16:49:54","date_gmt":"2022-04-30T14:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatkaliningrad.com\/?p=6331"},"modified":"2022-08-24T12:36:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-24T10:36:53","slug":"restaurant-amber-legend-yantarny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatkaliningrad.com\/ru\/restaurant-amber-legend-yantarny\/","title":{"rendered":"Amber Legend Yantarny is a jewel in the coastal town!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Yantarny: sea, sand and the Amber Legend restaurant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Updated: 24 August 2022 | First published: 30 April 2022 ~ Amber Legend Yantarny is a jewel in the coastal town!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Amber Restaurant\u2019<\/strong><\/span> as people refer to it, although its real name is Amber Legend<\/strong><\/span>, is located in Yantarny, a small coastal resort nestled on the edge of the Baltic in Russia’s Kaliningrad region<\/a>. Yantarny is held in high regard for its Blue Flag beach, which is all white sand, and for its good, clean air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also known for the Amber Legend, a novel and attractive restaurant cunningly constructed on a split-level plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built on a fairly steep incline, the pavement entrance to Amber Legend accesses what is effectively the upper ground floor, while the doors at the rear of the building lead to the lower level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Externally, the building is invested with more than a touch of the neoclassical. It follows a simple but imposing geometrical outline, with dominating rectangular upright supports, a balustrade balcony traversing the width of the building and a matching balustrade parapet. After an introduction of this calibre, anything less internally, both upper and lower level, would be disappointing, but happily this is not the case: aesthetic integrity and continuity are safely, indeed inspiringly, assured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question is, however, why did the proprietors of the Amber Legend not call their establishment ‘Blue Flag restaurant’, ‘good clean air’ or ‘split-level neoclassical eatery’? Why the ‘Amber’ and why the ‘Legend’?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two possible reasons, one lesser known to some and the other, one trusts, obvious to anyone who has frequented the restaurant in person. The first most conceivably has to do with Yantarny\u2019s massive amber reserves. Approximately 90 per cent of the world\u2019s amber resources are sitting in Yantarny. They are mined upon an industrial scale using the open-quarry method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second, inspired by the first, has visible connotations, since both the exterior and interior of the building are lavishly decorated with variegated stones of genuine polished amber. Inside the restaurant the precious ancient resin is taken to another level of artistic meritocracy, as richly inlaid amber panels of many different hues sharing geometrical space with amber art assemblages. (Thanks for the word, Vit!<\/a>) vie for your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Amber<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Artwork<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There are amber trims to the seats; amber-studded back rests; inset amber wall plaques; the bar is adorned with amber; and the ceiling-suspended lamp shades, bowls of amber inlay, are interwoven tiffany style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of particular note are the broad wooden panels, chain-hoisted close to the ceiling, each containing a window of different coloured amber stones lamp-backed for illumination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confoundingly, when we visited the restaurant, it was during the daylight hours, so that although in the room\u2019s darker recesses some of the lamps were lit, the full effect of the interplay between light source and amber creation was lost in the dilution of overpowering, brilliant sunlight. However, the upside to this was in the excuse that it presented, which was as good as any that I could invent, for returning on an evening to witness what most assuredly must be a lighting display of artistic splendour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n