It used to be a dirty cellar. Now it houses a restaurant/bar named after an order of crusading knights -- Maltijsky Orden (The Order of Malta).

The restaurant's Uzbek owner, Beck is a man immensely proud of his creation. Having found a bright red board with TUBORG BEER on it and descended three steps, you face a semi-circular bar under a cross-shaped ceiling with watercolor Bible pictures.

The wild, smiling, hospitable face behind the bar is the face of Beck himself. A 32-year old Uzbek man, it turns out he speaks English, German, French and Italian as well as being the barman, waiter, cleaner and owner of the establishment.

In the tradition of the hospitalier knights it is named for, the restaurant is a haven for all.

Perhaps you are a businessman who wants a calm watering hole where you can sit and ponder developments in Russia's youthful capitalist economy over a beer or two.

Or you may be a student, looking for an enchanted evening of soft talk with someone special to the accompaniment of soulful Western and Russian music .

Possibly you are just a hungry soul, who finds themselves on Bolshaya Konushennaya Ulitsa -- between Nevsky Prospect and the Neva River.

In all of these cases you'll find a hearty welcome and a warm atmosphere at Maltijsky Orden.

The bar's menu is pasted on the bar, so having ordered your drinks and a hot meal and paid for it in advance, you are free to choose one of six available bar tables to drink your liquid of choice at while you await your dinner.

The cheapest beer was light Bavaria for 6,000 roubles for 600 ml, the most expensive was Edelbock at 11,200 for half a liter.

Whisky's average price was 7,000 roubles per 50 grammes. Gin, brandy or Italian or French wine were also available.

Naturally there were soft drinks too, including the brand new, Russian-bottled, "killer" cola for 3,600 a can.

The bar's restaurant opened just recently and Beck explained that the limited menu was due to limited demand in winter.

The menu includes only three hot dishes. Cocktail sausages with vegetables and potatoes on the side were 11,000 roubles.

Escallop, a large piece of roasted pork with green peas, red peppers and potatoes was 14,000, as was the Langet -- thinly-sliced pork fillets, roasted with a similar garnish.

And of course no menu in St Petersburg would be complete without red and black caviar. Maltijsky Orden is no exception.

Having ordered escallop we found the pork quite fresh, though not especially tender. Despite being well roasted the meat needed plenty of chewing. The potatoes were also perhaps a bit too well roasted good -- they had a taste and consistency that occupied a strange middle ground between boiled potatoes and chips.

Still, the hard chew was relieved by the rhythmic sounds of Ace of Base, Phil Collins and rock ballads by Scorpions.

"I try to play music that suits the moods of my guests" said Beck about the music that he had selected for three more young couples enjoying Maltijsky Orden on the first full evening of the New Year.

Chocolate Ded Moroz (4,000) and cookies Dorris (7.800) were fresh but the only desserts available, along with coffee and milk or cream (1,300).

It was only when some friends of ours arrived that we noticed the grey cat, sleeping next to our feet.

Being awakened by the newcomers the cat began to rub up against our knees, meowing affectionately.

"Do not be worried, it is our Murka, -- a very clean pet. We keep it here in memory of the cellar that is now my restaurant," said Beck.

Beck studied the restaurant business in Germany for over two years before beginning the process of opening one here.

It took four more years to eradicate the former cellar's numerous mice (with much help from Murka) and to overcome numerous bureaucratic hurdles (palm oil came in very useful there).

Eventually all the mice were killed and permission was granted and Beck's crusade was completed.