Russian Kvass (俄羅斯城堡) first opened in the summer of 2009 near Shilin Night Market. Back then a Taipei Times review celebrated the fact that the city finally had a real Russian restaurant. (Salt and Bread does not count).
The restaurant closed its Shilin location three months ago and moved near National Taiwan University (台灣大學). The new dining room is almost as small as the old one, but less cramped. Prices are still low (ranging from NT$50 to NT$160 for a la carte dishes), making Russian Kvass an excellent spot for students and other budget-conscious diners who want to try something new.
Russian Kvass’ menu features simple but authentic Russian dishes like beef borscht, beetroot salad made with plenty of garlic, and the restaurant’s namesake beverage. Brewed from rye, kvass tastes slightly like beer but has little to no alcohol content. Its flavor is malty, a bit sweet and sharply sour at the same time. Kvass is available for NT$60 a glass.
Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times
While Russian Kvass’ menu is more or less the same as it was in the restaurant’s old location, the borscht (NT$75) tastes a little richer and seems to contain more beetroot. Served with a dollop of sour cream, it also contains cabbage, potato and a good sprinkling of dried dill. It was very tasty and I wouldn’t have minded a second bowl. (Like the prices, most of the portions are fairly petite.)
Russian Kvass also excels with its side salads. The liberal use of garlic in the beetroot salad (NT$50) adds a kick that contrasts nicely with its sweet mayonnaise dressing and raisins. The restaurant’s version of the classic Olivier salad (which is sometimes referred to as Russian salad) is also good, with a mayonnaise dressing that is more tangy than sweet over a mixture of chopped eggs, celery, potato, ham and dried dill.
One of Russian Kvass signature items is savory crepes (called pancakes on the menu), which are very simple but pleasing. The smoked salmon pancake (NT$90) has thin slices of fish and plenty of sour cream nestled in a thin, tender crepe. The more expensive caviar pancake — a relative splurge at NT$160 — comes with two little dollops of roe that I didn’t feel were worth the extra price. The cheese, chicken and mushroom pancake (NT$70) is better if you are looking for something more filling.
Another heartier option is the tender roast chicken slathered in a delicious, creamy and sour sauce and served with a side of mashed potato (NT$150).
Most of Russian Kvass’ desserts are only available as part of the set meal (NT$290 for an entree with soup, salad and dessert). They include fried pancakes with heaps of sweet yogurt and two sweet crepes, one apple pie flavored and the other filled with banana and chocolate.
Russian Kvass still operates with a very small staff (on recent visits there was one waitress and a cook working in the cupboard-sized kitchen) and, as a result, food can be slow to arrive even on weekday nights, but the service is otherwise friendly and attentive.
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