Adventures in Russia!

I'd been looking forward to the trip to Russia for a few months, so I was super stoked when the day finally came in early July! I knew the country was rich in history but what was I to expect in terms of food? Apart from vodka, I had absolutely no clue. The trip turned out to be fantastic, learning so much about Russian history and culture. To top it all off, the food was amazing! Here are some of the highlights:

St. Petersburg - 

Beef Stroganoff at Koleso Restaurant.

Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sauteed beef slices with mushrooms and onions, with a side of mashed potatoes and pickles. I had a few during the trip but this one at Koleso Restaurant was by far the best.

Vodka

The first liquid I took after a two hour walk under the hot sun marvelling at the grandeur of the Summer Palace was none other than Vodka! Good vodka is supposed to have 40% alcohol content and taken straight. Can't confess to be a vodka connoisseur but this was definitely refreshing.

As the saying goes - Vodka, taken in reasonable quantities, is a remedy.

The menu was mostly in Russian.

Pelmeni - Russian dumplings.

Then, there's the Russian version of dumplings - Pelmeni. There was a wide selection of fillings, ranging from the typical minced pork, beef and lamb to rabbit and chicken liver for the more adventurous. We tried the combination of pork, beef and lamb, the goose and mushroom, seafood, and pork and cabbage ones. They were all delicious. Didn't taste any different from Chinese version（饺子）, with the difference being the sauce for dipping. Sour cream and tartar sauce are popular choices.

The bill - entirely in Russian!

The most exciting part was the bill for the dumplings. Everything was in Russian! We stood no chance if we were charged for something we didn't order. Oh and by the way, Russians only respond to 'check'. Calling for the bill only gives you puzzled looks.

Salad and cubed beef fish.

I'm usually not a fan of cucumbers, or salads for that matter, but this mix of tomatoes, cucumbers and minced chicken drizzled with their secret vinaigrette mix was one of a kind. I am now a fan of salads, Russian style. The dish next to it is some sort of little cubed pieces of beef which was deliciously chewy and succulent. Again, the sweet and tomato-ey sauce did it for me.

A perfectly grilled lamb platter.

Russian Honey Cake

Trudging through a crowded art museum and pretending to know how to appreciate art is hard work and makes one very hungry. Nothing like a sugar rush in the form of Russian Honey Cake to the rescue! Surprisingly very good slice of cake at the only cafe there.

Moscow -

Breakfast in Moscow. L-R: Bliny, Omelette (not Russian), and Syrniki.

The bliny is a thin pancake that resembles crepes. Syrniki is a quark (cottage cheese) pancake, usually dipped in sour cream, jam or honey. Not a fan of cheese so a win for the bliny! The hazelnut and peanut butter spread made it all the more tastier.

Borscht - A soup contaning beef pieces, beets, cabbage, and potatoes.

Baltika - the official beer supplier at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Light and easy on the tastebuds.

Pork and beef dumplings. They contain soup like the Chinese Xiao Long Bao (小笼包) but are triple the size.

Russian cuisine delightfully surprised me, especially its mouth-watering meats grilled to perfection. Now, to find me a restaurant that serves Russian fare, or one that serves good grilled meats.