Dear reader,

I have been writing my reviews for over 2 years now. I asked for your help in reviewing restaurants and adding new ones to my blog. There are, however, a few questions that I have not asked you yet:

• Is there anything that I can do, in your opinion, to improve my reviews and help you in choosing a restaurant or a store to visit?
• Is there any information that you would find helpful that I could add?
• Do you like the way my website is organized? Could you suggest any improvements?
• Do you have any information needs related to Russian food that are not yet fulfilled?

Please leave your feedback in comments to this post, or send me an email. Your help will be greatly appreciated and will help me to serve you better.

Regards,

Masha

Tsar’s Bar is conveniently located close to Oxford Circus station in London. The restaurant menu features beef stroganoff, borscht, salads, smoked salmon, blinis and soups. Bar is famous for a wide variety of vodka brands, including home-made flavored ones. Vodka is served in a shot glass in a bucket of ice. The smatterings of oil paintings hanging on the paneled walls of this hotel bar add a Russian touch to the decor, whereas the bar is in fact situated in the quintessentially English Langham Hotel.

Tsar’s Bar
1C Portland Place,
London, W1B 1JA
Tel: 020 7636 1000
Directions

Baltic restaurant is located opposite of Southwark tube and 5 minutes from Waterloo station, Tate Modern & South Bank. The restaurant is open for lunch 12:00-15:3, dinner 18:00-23:15, and for drinks 12:00-24:00. It is a cozy place to relax after work and during the weekend. The seasonal menu consists of a variety of food items for every taste. If you are planning to visit Baltic restaurant, it is recommended to book in advance, especially for groups more than 6 people.

Baltic Restaurant
Website: http://www.balticrestaurant.co.uk/
020 79281111
74 Blackfriars Rd
London, SE1 8HA, United Kingdom
Directions

Despite smaller capacity, Cosmos has a reputation of an excellent restaurant, that can put bigger ones to shame. It is famous for excellent customer service and great menu selections. This restaurant does not have a website, so if you have any additional information, please leave a comment to this post.

Cosmos
020 8577 1001
36, High St,
Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1NW, UK
Directions

Someone recently told me about the Passion Cafe in Brooklyn. It is a cozy lounge that has a Russian style interior. There is belly dancing on the Friday and Saturday nights. Ladies get buy one, get one free drinks every night. Passion Cafe serves Russian salad along woth a variety of other appetizers. They also have Russian speaking staff.

Passion Cafe
167 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY, 11223
Directions

One of the readers has sent me quite a few restaurants around LA area. I have started putting them up one by one, but realized it would be much easier to just quote them. The reviews are great and very comprehensive.

Please let me know if any of these spots closed or if anything is worth mentioning here in addition to the information I have.

“Crystal

An authentic modern Russian dining experience awaits above a Starbucks. The restaurant has only one seating per night, so calling ahead is recommended (bar seating is possible later). In between courses, well-dressed (and increasingly tipsy) diners hit the dance floor. Dress code is enforced (no jeans) and there is a $20 cover charge.

7901 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd floor
LA, CA, 90046
(323) 654-1188
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only.

Bar Lubitsch

Although not Russian-owned, this bustling hot spot pays homage to its West Hollywood location with Soviet-inspired design. Cocktail waitresses here are decked out in Pravda red, and 1930s posters hang next to mirrors etched with Cyrillic to flesh out the Soviet chic concept.

7702 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-1234
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Russian Nights

Appearing more like a strip club than a restaurant, Russian Nights’ bizarre design scheme will amuse some. The odd pairing of neon (both outside and inside) and murals depicting rural Russian 18th century life gives diners a bit of kitsch with their chicken Kiev.

13325 Moorpark St
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 981-0089
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends)

Little New York

Located near a busy Trader Joe’s, Little New York caters to a younger Russian crowd on weekends. But this hidden gem is mostly known as a cozy getaway that serves up classics like sturgeon and pelmeni, set against a somewhat garish wall mural of the New York skyline.

7316 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 874-0727
7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only

Red Square

Red Square offers up Russian fare such as hearty mignon stroganoff and sweet wild black cherry blintzes. A one-man band sings Russian Top 40 songs with the help of a laptop and reverb-laden microphone on weekends, when things can get wild.

17209 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91316
(818) 783-6300
Noon to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Russia Restaurant

New owners took over this Hollywood restaurant, which sits adjacent to the famed Knickerbocker hotel, in 2005. On Saturday, Las Vegas-style showgirls take over the stage. Popular food choices at Russia include Chicken Tabaka and Karsky (lamb chops). Massive historical wall murals of Peter the Great stare down diners.

russiarestaurant.net

1714 Ivar Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-2216
Noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Troyka

Open for more than a decade, Troyka is located in an otherwise nondescript strip mall. The menu offers an array of Russian and Ukrainian food — from solyanka soup to blinchiki (pancakes with red caviar). Other popular dishes include vareniki (stuffed dumplings), Ukrainian borscht and cold herring salad.

7300 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 851-5531
Noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Romanov Restaurant

Restaurateur Mikayel Israyelyan’s new high-end Russian steakhouse has been impressing L.A. foodies of all stripes since it opened in March. Twenty-four-carat gold-leaf ceilings gleam above; Russian haute cuisine dishes like quail Kiev dazzle below. If you have a craving for real Osetra caviar, this is the place to get your fix.

romanovla.com

12229 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 760-3177
5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Odessa

Don’t let the tacky décor fool you; Odessa’s limited menu of fish and meat kebabs keeps the faithful coming back year after year. The adjacent deli also is a must for those seeking real red Russian caviar from Kamchatka and other assorted imported foods.

18525 Burbank Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 705-6630
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Palm Terrace

This second-floor eatery (open only on weekends; call ahead) has been open since 1971, serving lavish Russian fare such as baked flounder fillet to thousands over the years. Banquet-style dining only, so reservations are a must (usually $45-per-person minimum).

531 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 653-7820
Weekends only, call for reservations.

Uzbekistan

Massive portions are the norm at Uzbekistan, where Russians, Armenians and curious Hollywood tourists “man up” to tackle hearty fare like plov with chicken and manti (steamed Uzbecki lamb dumplings). Live bands play on weekends.

7077 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-3663
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily.

Someone has just sent me an email about the Russian Tavern located on the Isle of Bute, off the coast of Western Scotland. It is inside the Port Royal Hotel, overlooking the port. Russian Tavern serves not only traditional Russian dishes, but also excellent selection of exported wines and beers along with Scottish delicacies.

Here is a quote from someone affiliated to this restaurant: “We take the preparation of our Tsarist Russian cuisine very seriously, prepare everything freshly from fresh ingredients, and have the finest local Scottish seafood and beef at our disposal.”

Russian Tavern at the Port Royal Hotel
http://www.butehotel.com/index.htm
37 Marine Road, Port Bannatyne,
Isle of Bute PA20 0LW, UK
Tel: 01700 505073

Il Paradiso is located in Encino. It seems to be a night club more than anything else, since it’s opened 7 p.m. to 2 a.m  on the weekends. A quote from the referrer gives a great description of Il Paradiso: “If you are seeking a true wild Russian night in L.A., look no further than Il Paradiso. This otherwise nondescript restaurant attracts a well-heeled, good-looking crowd on weekends (late at night usually). Don’t be intimidated by the veal-tongue salad, the Glock-toting security guards or the BMWs out front — just dress to impress and dance the night away.” I also found a few very positive reviews. Seems like an interesting place to spend an evening and relax.

Il Paradiso
15627 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 981-9293
Directions

What else if not vodka is a traditional Russian drink? Voda lounge in San Francisco serves a variety of vodka and vodka cocktails. It is located in the financial district therefore being a good spot to stop by for a drink after work. The name “voda” translates as “water” from Russian, which explains water-designed interior. This is a relaxing lounge to chill at after a hard day’s work.

Voda
(415) 677-9242
56 Belden pl
San Francisco, CA 94104
Directions

I have been to Metro bar back in 2004. It is a cozy little restaurant in Novosibirsk with pool tables, nice bar, and good food. It feels great to stop by at Metro for a fulfilling meal after a long winter walk or an exhausting ski run. It is affordable and conveniently located.

Metro Bar
+73832-332-91-44
18 Heroes of Labor
Novosibirsk, Russia