My childhood memories of Soviet cuisine center on gray mashed potatoes, a disgusting beetroot salad and boiled eggs stuffed with mayonnaise. Just thinking about this food kills even the strongest of appetites.
But my stepfather, a historian with particular interest in the Communist era, was in town so we had to oblige. To fulfill his curiosity and our hunger, we settled on Spotykach, the Soviet-themed restaurant conveniently located near St Sophia’s Cathedral.
The name of the eatery comes from homemade wine liquor – spotykach, which tastes like a light version of moonshine with a tinge of sweetness to it. Every visitor is welcomed to knock down a shot at the doorway along with a small salo sandwich, traditional Ukrainian pork fat believed to match strong alcohol.
After this hearty welcome, our party of five proceeded inside, now to indulge in the 1960s interior. Fancy glassware, red carpets on the walls and the floors, massive wooden furniture and an old-fashioned gramophone left an impression of a wealthy party leader’s apartment. Some of these items were apparently brought here by clients who did not know what to do with these Soviet leftovers.
My three-year-old niece loved the collection of telephones, some of which had buttons with letters instead of numbers. To a child of the digital age it was practically impossible to explain how they were used.
It was much easier, of course, to win her over with Soviet food than technology. Most of the dishes offered that evening were based on “The Book About Tasty and Healthy Food,” the 1939 cooking bible, which every household had to have.
I must admit the food tasted very differently from what I was served in canteens, cafes and restaurants in my Soviet childhood. Back then it was awful, but in Spotykach it was delicious.
I would particularly recommend Pozharskaya cutlet (Hr 78) – finely minced tender chicken, fried in butter and coated with crunchy bread crumbs.
The name apparently comes from the Pozharsky family who owned an inn back in czarist times. Legend says that one Russian czar once spent a night at the inn and ordered veal for breakfast. The innkeepers were in despair as they didn’t have this type of meat, but were afraid to disobey.
So, they risked by serving a chicken cutlet masking it in bread crumbs, which the czar apparently loved. The cooks then decided to reveal that it wasn’t veal, but the royal guest didn’t seem to mind. The story goes that he rewarded them for their honesty by adding this cutlet to his family menu.
Inspired by history, we opted for another chicken masterpiece – Chicken Kiev (Hr 89), which left a soothing impression with a tender fillet soaked in butter.
My little niece ordered a large plate of meat dumplings (Hr 79), which she finished, so I bet it was also good. Mushrooms in a sour cream sauce for a starter were perhaps the only savory disappointment of the night. It left a greasy and acidy aftertaste.
Unwilling to stay nostalgic all night long, I opted for a rocket salad with salmon (Hr 114), which was delightful. Grilled tiger shrimps (Hr 138) also looked enticing in the modern part of the menu, but I already whetted my appetite with chicken cutlets.
Quite pleased by the mains, we were disappointed by desserts. Half of the items on the menu were unavailable – another Soviet hiccup from 20 years ago.
But the service was good as opposed to what it was like in the Soviet eateries – infamous for rudeness and arrogance.
Spotykatch fit well with my stepfather’s (who is an American) idea of Soviet cuisine. It reminded him of the ‘70s when he visited a number of restaurants designed mainly for foreigners in Moscow. They were pretty good, he said; designed for propaganda purposes, those restaurants had extensive menus and delicious food.
His only problem, which still rings true for us today, was with the waiters – polite, but not particularly friendly and social, as an American would expect them to be.
Those thoughts, however, were quickly drowned by a live music concert. From 8 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays, two bands play double bass, accordion, guitar and violin and sing Russian and Ukrainian folk songs, as well as Soviet-era hits.
Spotykach restaurant
16 Vladimirskaya St.
Tel. 586-4095
http://www.2k.ua/restaurants/catalog/spotykach/
Kyiv Post staff writer Kateryna Panova can be reached at [email protected].
