I think that most people will be very surprised when they visit Moscow and S Petersburg. Most peoples thinking is about eight years out of date.

I agree, I spent a year in Russia and had mostly good food. Most hotels like the Grand Htl Europe St Pete & Baltschug in Moscow import alot of their food esp diary products and meat. You can buy Snickers/Mars etc locally, never ate any local diary prods inc ice cream nor meat of any description unless it was imported.

I am in total agreement with the last few posts. You can walk into most grocery stores now and get Western European and even american brand food. All the restaurants on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Pete and in the main area of Moscow near Red Square serve good, western euopean food. There's even a TGIF in Moscow!

If you want to experience the old Soviet system you will find it in some of the older grocery stores. I these stores you must first go to the cashier and pay for your item, then take your receipt to the counter and get your item. Not an easy way to shop if you don't speek Russian. Thank goodness not many of these shops still around. More and more self serve type stores.

Have stayed at the National many times. The breakfast buffet is very good as is the wait staff, linen, silver, etc. It's a joy to look at the Kremlin while eating breakfast!

I totally agree with Garfield when he says, that most people have a perception of what Russia is like that is 8-10 years out of date. You will find anything you need or want without great difficulty.
If you want an interesting experience while in Moscow take a stroll up Tverskaya from the National(on opposite side of the street) to the old famous Gastronom#1 Store which is called Yeliseev's(?). It has recently been remodeled&actually I liked the old store better, but a worthwhile experience nonetheless. Not far up Tverskaya as well is a walking street (Komm????) thata is lined both sides of the street with some nice restaurants. Several restaurants as well in the shopping area that is between the entrance to Red Square and Metropol Hotel.
Also, you will find several Gourmet Coffee shops in Moscow in particular.
If you are worried about the water, you may always drink the vodka.

There is also a Yesileev's on Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg, the one in Moscow was being remodeled while we were there so we didn't get a look at it but I enjoyed seeing the one in St. Pete.

Garfield mentioned the old system of paying, the only place we encountered that was in Moscow at a candy store, I actually thought it was a rather interesting experience but we did come home with a bit more candy than we intended