Кафе Ной

If you were in downtown Kharkov on Friday night and saw a boisterous group of 10 women and 3 men... it was probably us! My work organized a night out at Кафе Ной to celebrate our company's anniversary. Every single female Ukrainian colleague showed up in heels and a skirt. Every American colleague?- in jeans :p

Ukrainian colleagues in downtown Kharkov

Ной is Russian for Noah (of the ark-building fame). Google research showed the impressive and ark-shaped Restaurant Noah, but this is not where we went (although after viewing their website, I'd like to go there sometime!). Instead we gathered at a pleasant small cafe near the Radianska McDonalds, Cafe Noah.

Looks like the wedding banquet room!

 The cost of the evening scared some coworkers off (120 uah per person... which could cover a meal for 2 people at the lovely Paris). This may be reflective of the actual cost of the room + meal or it may have been the school just trying to make an extra buck, who knows. I was reluctant when I heard the cost but after all the plates of food were brought out, it didn't seem like such an exorbitant fee. Check out all these Ukrainian party platters!

and...

and...(!!!)

Props to Cafe Noah for the spread! The only thing missing was alcohol. The school didn't say much about this and instead brought along about 3 bottles of wine and a bottle of vermouth, all saved from past events. If I'd known that the cafe has a bring-you-own-policy I would have brought some champagne or something. Luckily another US colleague and I believe in the wisdom of pregame-ing it and thus prepared accordingly. In fact, we probably smelled like pickles by the time we got to the cafe! Anyways, our work collective spent a nice evening here in the private room. There was a stereo for background music and plenty of space for party games. On a trip to the restroom I passed through the main public area of the cafe and noticed that almost every table was full of patrons but oddly, men only!

One nice final touch: after the food was eaten and people began saying their goodbyes, the waiter brought out a large pot of tea and some kind of exotic candied walnuts. It was a generous finish and a clever move on the restaurant’s part!



Address of Cafe Noah: г. Харьков, ул. Кузнечная, 2 (not far from Radianska)

They offer Armenian and European food, business lunch, banquets, wedding parties, and corporate parties.