Russian restaurant gets one-day suspension for bottle service without city permission

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday ordered the Russian Benevolent Society to shut its Crystal restaurant in Allston for a day after its manager admitted letting customers buy whole bottles of vodka even after the board's chairwoman warned him not to.

Boston restaurants with full liquor licenses can offer bottle service but only after getting board permission, which Crystal didn't have. The restaurant was also letting customers take whole bottles back with them to their tables, which the board does not allow - it requires restaurants with permission to have a dedicated staffer at the table to pour the drinks.

At a hearing Tuesday, police detectives also found evidence the restaurant was offering homemade cranberry vodka - a violation of state liquor laws - and parking cars in a fire lane.