Unlike all those assholes on Yelp, I am an expert on Russian cuisine. I saw that episode of Chef’s Table on Netflix and everything. So hitch up your hotpants and strap on your mesh vest, cause we’re gettin’ all post-Soviet chic in here.
First off – unlike some of the other “hottest” restaurants in Portland, Kachka actually delivers on the hype. And by hype, I mean, turns out delicious things that I assume are representative of Russian cooking because they told me it was. And they had vodka – lots of vodka. That’s got to be authentic, right?
We had a flight.
As is tradition, my dining companion and I went with the “one of each please” strategy:
Perlovka – because salads can be fun too. With the exception of the dumplings, this was probably my favorite dish. It’s got an herby umami thing going on which is killer. Plus, you’re gonna need some fiber at the end of all this.
Herring ‘under a fur coat’ – Think seven-layer dip if you were limited to things that came out of the ground, the ocean, or a chicken. Seriously, everything seems to be garnished with crumbled hard-boiled egg. You get some fun contrasts in flavor and texture with this one, plus the bread is dynamite.
Cholodetz – This one was tough – the combination of gelatin, boiled meat, and hard-boiled egg melded into a headcheese-esque texture, but without any real difference in meat flavors. I’m normally at home with stuff like this, but both my dining companion and I had a hard time with it.
And then we got a shit-ton of dumplings: siberian pelmeni and sour cherry vareniki. These little fuckers were awesome and a fantastic way to end mains. Individually delicious, better when you mashed one of each into your greedy pie-hole.
Dessert was the life-changing cookies and some fantastic tea. Save room for dessert. I mean it.
Kachka – it’s euro-pop and things made from fish. See if you can find the picture of baby Jeremy Clarkson.
http://kachkapdx.com