Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs play home to a handful or so of authentic Russian restaurants that encompass not only tasty European cuisine but also provide live music, the opportunity to BYO wine and spirits at no corkage as well as some of these restaurants staging a live show of traditional Kozak dance.
Russian restaurants stand apart from the myriad of European restaurants around town due to the following distinct features:
Functionality
Be it a birthday, anniversary, dinner dance, engagement party or even a wedding, Russian restaurants will cater to your personal needs with the convenience of a function coordinator. Anything from flowers to chair and table decorations can be organised with ease.
Music
Live bands create the fun and vibrant ambience that Russian restaurants are known for. Playing anything from Russian pop and trance to commercial beats and a wide range of international beats, you will be dancing 'til the cows come home!
Food
Get ready for banquet-style cuisine to remember. Prior to arriving at a Russian restaurant, the best advice to offer a newcomer is to eat lightly all day in preparation for your European feast. Generally, the individual restaurants can cater to your function's needs, however a set menu of entree's, mains, dessert and 'in-betweens' will be brought to your table without an inch of tablecloth in sight!
Hot entree: red salmon caviar with blintzes (traditional Russian crepes served with red salmon caviar; piroshki (traditional Russian pastry filled with meat or cabbage); chilli prawns served on a bed of rice; roast potatoes with dill.
Main course: chicken shashlik; lamb cutlets; roast chicken; beef kebabs; veal served in a creamy mushroom sauce; vegetables; garden salad.
Dessert: seasonal fruit; tea and coffee.
Beverages: unlimited soft drink.
Additional dishes: crayfish, other seafood and meat.
Duration
Most Russian restaurants operate on Friday and Saturday nights, with other times available for private bookings.
Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs play home to a handful or so of authentic Russian restaurants that encompass not only tasty European cuisine but also provide live music, the opportunity to BYO wine and spirits at no corkage as well as some of these restaurants staging a live show of traditional Kozak dance.
Russian restaurants stand apart from the myriad of European restaurants around town due to the following distinct features:
Functionality
Be it a birthday, anniversary, dinner dance, engagement party or even a wedding, Russian restaurants will cater to your personal needs with the convenience of a function coordinator. Anything from flowers to chair and table decorations can be organised with ease.
Music
Live bands create the fun and vibrant ambience that Russian restaurants are known for. Playing anything from Russian pop and trance to commercial beats and a wide range of international beats, you will be dancing 'til the cows come home!
Food
Get ready for banquet-style cuisine to remember. Prior to arriving at a Russian restaurant, the best advice to offer a newcomer is to eat lightly all day in preparation for your European feast. Generally, the individual restaurants can cater to your function's needs, however a set menu of entree's, mains, dessert and 'in-betweens' will be brought to your table without an inch of tablecloth in sight!
Dishes may include:Cold entree: smoked salmon/trout; marinated Mediterranean vegetables; herring fillets; marinated seafood combination; meat assortment; pickled assortments (tomatoes, gherkins, carrots and watermelon); Olivie salad - traditional Russian potato salad.
Hot entree: red salmon caviar with blintzes (traditional Russian crepes served with red salmon caviar; piroshki (traditional Russian pastry filled with meat or cabbage); chilli prawns served on a bed of rice; roast potatoes with dill.
Main course: chicken shashlik; lamb cutlets; roast chicken; beef kebabs; veal served in a creamy mushroom sauce; vegetables; garden salad.
Dessert: seasonal fruit; tea and coffee.
Beverages: unlimited soft drink.
Additional dishes: crayfish, other seafood and meat.
Duration
Most Russian restaurants operate on Friday and Saturday nights, with other times available for private bookings.
Cost
Banquets start from $55 per person.
Melbourne's Russian Restaurants
Rasputin Restaurant
119 Wattletree Road, Malvern, VIC 3144. Ph: 03 9500 1622
Matrioshka Restaurant
1046 Dandenong Road, Carnegie, VIC 3163.
Ph: 9563 5815
Russia European Restaurant
105 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North VIC 3161
Ph: 03 9523 5667
Russia House Cabaret Restaurant
8 Dickens Street, Elwood VIC 3184.
Ph: 03 9534 3907
Russian Accent
937 Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield VIC 3162.
Ph: 9571 7297
St Petersburg Restaurant
43 Glen Eira Road, Elsternwick VIC 3185.
Ph: 03 9532 4658
Review by Monica
