food comas

Russian Bath Sports Bar

I don’t know if this technically qualifies as a standalone restaurant, but the food here is so authentically Russian and so delicious that I had to do a post, if for no other reason than to edify the readers about the glories of Russian cuisine. And of course, about the glories of the Russian Banya.

So before I delve into the food, here’s a bit of a background about the Banya, or Sauna or Baths, whichever term you want to use. I’m not sure about the exact history of it, but Banya’s developed more from a hygienic necessity than from the desire to get luxurious pampering. It’s sort of a traditional cleansing, an opportunity to extricate the toxins from the body, start fresh and socialize. It is customary to go on the last day of the year to begin the new year afresh. There’s even an expression you say to one another after a good bath (or shower, for that matter) – С лёгким паром!. It literally means “With Happy/Light Steam.”

Now onto the food, which was hearty, savory and oh-so-flawlessly Russian.We had had Russian cuisine before at Rasputin and Tatiana, both also in Brooklyn. But the emphasis at those venues is more so on the show than the food, whereas it is the food that stood out at the Russian Bath Sports Bar. But if there is anything you should know about Russian food, it is that it usually does come with some sort of entertainment, be it a show or a sauna.

Greek Salad
Admittedly not Russian, but it was nice to get some fresh vegetables into the meal.

Herring with Marinated Onions
This dish is absolutely key in Russian cuisine. Salty herring must be served with onions and typically baked or boiled potatoes (with dill). Oh and vodka. The way my brother always puts it, “Well they brought the herring, so I had to order 100 grams.” That’s a vodka reference, by the way. Russian people say “100 grams” (sto gram) versus “a shot.”

Assorted Pickles
Love, love love the tomatoes and cucumbers. Still think the pickled watermelon is weird. (Jen gags at the thought.)

Harcho
This is actually a Georgian dish which means “beef soup”. The borsch was actually absolutely amazing at this restaurant too, served with a generous serving of sour cream, as was the harcho. We Russians love us some sour cream. However, my niece scarfed down the borsch before I could snap a photo.

Shashlyk
Basically marinated kebabs, amazing. Served with Frech fries, diced onions, cauliflower, dill and cabbage.

Chicken Tabaka
This is another Georgian dish. Basically the chicken lies flat, with weight on top to get the skin super crispy and leave the meat soft and juicy. Served with Frech fries, diced onions, cauliflower, dill and cabbage.

Liver
Not my favorite dish, but I still like liver. It’s just that the shashlyk and the chicken stole all the spotlight. Served with mashed potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower

Cheers!