In anticipation of Maslenitsa, Russian restaurants have introduced special pancake offerings, including some truly premium items. The most expensive options are traditionally served with black caviar, but there are also more unusual combinations with gold, crab, or a selection of delicacies.

The absolute leader in terms of cost is a dish served at one of Moscow's Mediterranean restaurants: 200 grams of pancakes with sturgeon caviar will set you back 11,500 rubles. A comparable price has been set in another Moscow establishment with a panoramic view of the city — the pancake itself costs 140 rubles, and a jar of sturgeon caviar to go with it costs 11,000 rubles. At a Japanese restaurant, a festive set of pancakes and mini-fritters with butter, salmon, red and black caviar is priced at more than 9,000 rubles.

Pancakes with black caviar and sour cream or so-called “golden” pancakes with crab and three types of caviar are offered in the range of 7,500-8,800 rubles. In one of the seafood restaurants, guests can put together their own order: one pancake costs 220 rubles, and 40 grams of caviar costs 6,900 rubles. In a Moscow restaurant serving Middle Eastern cuisine, 250 grams of pancakes with black caviar and sour cream are priced at 6,500 rubles.

In St. Petersburg, the most expensive pancakes are served in a restaurant with historic interiors, where a serving costs 5,800 rubles. In other cities, the maximum prices reach 4,500 rubles.