Mikhail Davidov, a former professional dancer with the Soviet dance group of Azerbaijan, arrived in the United States in 1989, attracted by the cornucopia of music and dance. Having performed at La Scala and the Bolshoi Theatre among others, Davidov’s talents included music, theatre design and an attraction to the great cuisines of the world. Following a four year stint at an Italian night club, Davidov opened his first restaurant, Baku, on Coney Island Avenue. In just a few months, Baku, the first restaurant offering Azerbaijan food in the U.S. became an enormous success within the Soviet expat community. Seating only 75, it became almost impossible to get a table at this small gem which served traditional Soviet home cooked food.