Kyiv

Well, it’s been a little while again, but let’s see if we can get this started once more…

(Have to acquire the name!)

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

I know it seems funny that I don’t have the name of this restaurant, but as you will see below, I have the picture of the name. I have to get in touch with my Ukrainian friends to get the American spelling! Lol.

This place was so intriguing. We were told it is the setting of the Soviet Union homes back before the USSR fell. I felt like I was walking into a home from the 1960s in America.

I especially loved the bakers area, where they were creating all kinds of delicious goodness! I placed that pic at the beginning because I felt it really captured the essence of this restaurant.

The food was actually similar to what you could find in some diners in America. The menu was several pages long, and the food, although delicious, was not fancy or extravagantly presented. (My apologies for no food pics! We were starving by the time it came!)

The food was really good. We had pickles and veggies as an appetizer. We had roast, chicken fillets and sour cherry dumplings and a chocolate cake for dessert. There were other items ordered in our party; however, my memory is a bit fuzzy from the January trip. *I will get an update here soon!

I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. I almost felt conspicuous in the restaurant, as I was so awe struck by the decor and atmosphere.

The bakery displayed all sorts of delectable pastries and goodies!

If you can decipher Ukrainian (or maybe a bit of Russian) , you might be able to read this!

The atmosphere was actually very quaint and cozy. I felt as if I was eating in someone’s home, enjoying conversation in their living room.

This was the table in which we sat. The bench was soft and inviting. The bookcase behind simply decorated with a few plants and vases, and a warm lamp glow just beyond.

The stairs going to the downstairs of the restaurant was filled with old books I’d like to sit and read and a vintage lunchbox that made me wonder who owned it, where he has worked and if his home had been a bit like this one in years past.

The napkins and toothpicks were all neatly displayed in little red and white checked jars.

I have never appreciated Russian fare nor the Russian way of life, as I have read so much destruction and so much heartache that they have brought to their world. Yet, when eating here in this restaurant, I can see why there are some in Kyiv who almost want to believe Russia doesn’t want to bring harm but good. (Yet, watching their invasion of Crimea, I do hope they are never deceived… another story for another day… 😉)

*I will need to acquire the name and the website; so, you can visit one day while you’re in Kyiv!

Paperlo

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

This place was has just the neatest decor and atmosphere. The staff is friendly and some can speak a little English. The food is delicious, and again, the decor is just really cool. (Lots of pics on this one; so, get ready!)

The food was phenomenal, and the menu was completely in Ukrainian; so, our friends told us things on the menu and ordered for us. As you can see, we ate like kings.

We started with a cheese plate that was delicious. It had four different types of cheeses and honey and ground coffee to dip. Now, I know, that sounds crazy, but it was SO good! They also had brought a type of dried beef, like beef jerky. It had a little kick of spice, and it was great. Our friend ordered a plate of, what I would call, bruschetta. I’m not sure what it is called there, and I don’t eat raw tomatoes all that much, but she said it was delicious.

My husband (and our oldest) ordered a burger that was about as big as his head! He had to squish it to try to eat it, and he eventually just eat it with a fork and knife. 😂 I ordered a steak and grilled veggies, and it was scrumptious. Our youngest ordered a cheese pizza. It was different, as it didn’t have red sauce on it, but it was very tasty.

We also ordered some drinks like (non-alcoholic) mojitos. One had ginger and lemon and the other was apple. They both were good; I liked the ginger and lemon best.

We had so much food; we were stuffed and couldn’t finish it all! We so enjoyed this food, and we look forward to visiting again when we return to Ukraine.

The Website appears to be in Ukrainian, but I didn’t peruse all through time see if there is a language selection. They also have a FB page.

Here are some more pics of the cool decor.