312477 Wed Jul 26 15:18:14 -0700 2006 13 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 1768374 Hello, Chowhounds - Notice that the last thread on good Russian food in SF (restaurants, delis, bakeries) is from 2002. Curious to hear updated experiences - both from adventurous eaters who are non-Russian-speakers (where is it easiest to brave trying/buying the unfamiliar foods behind the deli counter glass, eg.), and from Russian speakers/Russian food connoisseurs. What are the pros and cons of Katia's v. Cinderella? Anyone been to Fandorin? Eleseevskiy deli? Gastronom? Thanks! Wed Jul 26 15:18:14 -0700 2006 21798 Frog 1 1768411 Here's a thread from a few months ago: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/44705 Wed Jul 26 15:30:39 -0700 2006 1768374 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 1768752 Actually there are quite a few posts since 2002, but I'm hoping that some new people will comment on their Russian favs and pass along tips. What camp do you fall into ... Russian-American who is looking for a taste of home ... or American who apreciates or is new to Russian food? How far are you willing to travel? I never heard of Fandorin so I did some googling and broke it out in a separate post to get it some attention. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/312497 I also found some mentions of a vodka bar that I broke out in a separate query. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/312529 Anyway, Fandorin was mentioned in a local Russian blog that brought up mentions of these Russian places that I haven't tried yet, so I thought I'd add them to your query and see if there is any feedback. Do you have any more info on Eleseevskiy deli. There was only a single one line mention in that Russian blog. It said it was on Geary. That was it. Euromart (650) 855-9414 3707 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306 This place gets one line mentions on Chowhound when people confuse it with Winmart. It is supposed to be good, but hard to spot from the road. Royal Food Market (510) 668-1107 1602 Washington Blvd Fremont, CA 94539 Iranian store in Fremont that also sells traditional Russian food. Europa Express (415) 759-6500 1342 Irving St San Francisco, CA 94122 2554 W. Middlefield Rd. in Mountain View, CA 94043 (650)968-1686. one of the cheapest Russian food stores in Bay Area Berezka (415) 668-3442 5612 Geary Blvd San Francisco, CA 94121 Russian Foods and More... (650)592-5793 1062 Terminal Way San Carlos, CA, 94070 bz Bee Market (650) 627-9303 2322 S El Camino Real This gets some brief mentions on Chowhound. Hungarian salami, poppy rolls, meats, and halva. European Food Market (925) 686-9005 2307 Concord Blvd Concord, CA 94520 http://ca.local.yahoo.biz/europeanfoodmarket/index.html European Deli (925) 820-2053 2211 San Ramon Valley Blvd # F San Ramon, CA 94583 Wed Jul 26 17:36:14 -0700 2006 1768374 10264 rworange 1 1768999 My family's mostly Russian, and we've been going to Cinderella for as long as I can remember (that's at least 30 years). Definitely the best piroshki in the area. Also, the cafe section is in my opinion much better food (= more like what you get at homes in the old country) than Katia's. I found Katia's overpriced and not as fresh preparation as Cinderella. Of course, you always run the risk that wherever you go (Store, bakery, cafe, etc) the proprietor is going to be in a classically Russian bad mood and give you lame service according to western standards. of course, it's also very authentic :) Wed Jul 26 18:55:21 -0700 2006 1768374 13093 Maya 1 1769014 Here are some of the recent posts on Gastronom. Please report back after you try it! http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/45036 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/44938 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/45571 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/46435#230579 Wed Jul 26 19:01:51 -0700 2006 1768374 10039 Melanie Wong 2 1771061 Since my previous post about Gastronom, I have gone back for their meat and cabbage piroshkis. The fried meat one was delicious, although quite greasy. Fortunately, it was not massively huge. The cabbage was not too exciting. I much prefer Cinderella's version (baked), which has more stuff in the filling. I had a tasty mushroom piroshki at Cinderella too. I've thought about doing a fried meat piroshki crawl, but don't think my stomach can handle it. Oh, one thing about Gastronom is that the people are the friendliest I have encountered at a Russian store. I think Melanie mentioned this before. Thu Jul 27 17:04:55 -0700 2006 1769014 13664 Anya L 1 1769214 Hello, all - these replies have been quite helpful, thanks! I belong the Russian camp (meaning I speak Russian and my family is from there) but I am curious to hear where and how non-Russian speakers make out. I am curious about places only in SF. Here's what I have heard from my Russian compatriots/experienced: Gastronom: good half-sour pickles and sauerkraut. Europa Express on Irving: good Syrniki, good red caviar. Cinderella: good Napoleon & other baked goods pretty good, too. Bad atmosphere. Food - under debate. Traktir: good Kharcho & Shishkebab New World Market (aka "Misha's): good all around Katia's: mixed reviews. Some say it's not "authentically Russian" - though what that means is very vague.Overpriced. Fandorin: place to go dancing and carousing. Food not so great, but who's paying attention? Russian Renaissance: Under newer ownership. Good food. RULE OF THUMB FOR RUSSIAN STORES: Do not buy any good packaged that you can get fresh/weighed out. The packaged goods are less fresh. Please continue to contribute your impressions! Wed Jul 26 20:05:31 -0700 2006 1768374 21798 Frog 2 1769231 Thanks for the great tips. Interesting about Tratkir. I thought they were closed. Thanks also for the update on Russian Renaissance change of ownership. Nice to hear an uphill report. What do you recommend there? Wed Jul 26 20:11:08 -0700 2006 1769214 10264 rworange 2 1769424 I've been to New World (didn't know it was known as Misha's) for smoked salmon and noticed at the wine-liquor area near the front some incredibly inexpensive Hungarian Tokays. It's a great store though I always find myself intimidated by the huge selection of mysterious sausages--I can (very slowly) sound out the names from the Cyrillic labels, but I don't know what they mean. Wed Jul 26 21:25:49 -0700 2006 1769214 17327 rootlesscosmo 1 1770221 I would second almost everything Maya said, from the quality of the food at Cinderella, to the surly waiters, to the upscale prices and menu at Katya's. However, I do not share her view that Katya's food is not as good. I've enjoyed my meals there but you should expect to pay a great deal more for the white tablecloths and upscale decor. It's just a matter of style and budget. Thu Jul 27 03:51:31 -0700 2006 1768374 18317 gb44 1 1779687 I had some time to kill Saturday and decided to check out some of the Russian Deli's I had not heard of. Nothing exciting turned up. The three I visited were just nice little corner stores, Russian-style. Berezka (415) 668-3442 5612 Geary Blvd San Francisco, CA 94121 It is across the street from New World Market and there is no reason to go here with New World across the street. I was there late, so there were no piroshkis in the case. However, they are by Paramont which are pretty greasy and leaden, so it didn't matter. Some canned goods, candies, a small meat/cheese/deli counter with a small dairy case. Nothing caught my eye. However, two doors down is a great wine store, 3 Blackwells, that has a very nice vodka selection. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/313739 Europa Plus 5350 Geary Blvd.(corner of 18th) San Francisco, CA 94122 Yeah, I've been here before when it opened. Nothing special caught my eye. However, driving around the block looking for a parking spot, I did fine a nice new Peruvian restaurant on Clement, so all was not lost. Will report about that in another post. Eleseevskiy Deli 4605 Geary Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 386-2199 Yeah, I thought this place must have gone out of business after driving up Geary from 19th to the Russian Church and back. No sign at all of it. I was going to give up when I remembered there was a Russian deli near the Catholic Church on the other side of 19th. Avenue. Yep. That was it on the corner of 10th and Geary, across the street from Boudin Bakery. I occasionally stopped here after Mass, but never found much I really wanted. IIRC, they have a nicer selection around the holidays. It is a decent enough little corner market with a nice selection of cold cuts/cheese/deli/dairy and other groceries. They did have a really nice Kielbasa ring that caugh my eye. I thougt about finally trying Russian Rennaisance or Katya, but just wasn't in the mood for Russian food. Next time I'm in the area I'll give Europa Express on Irving a visit. Tue Aug 01 07:05:36 -0700 2006 1768374 10264 rworange 2 1779714 Hmmm ... I'm about to close out some Google windows when I come across some info on or "Eliseevski Delikatsi, aka J&M" aka 'Yana Deli'. The first name is really written in Russian lettering. The 'J&M' is an old faded sign on the building in English. Anyway, there might be a there there. Supposedly the pelmeny and vareniki are handmade. I didn't examine the freezer case that closely but noticed there were lots of dumplings in there. Will have to drop by again ... anyway that keilbasa was interesting looking and they always have a lot of foot traffic. Tue Aug 01 08:06:16 -0700 2006 1779687 10264 rworange 1 1792683 I know another interesting resource for Russian food places: http://www.russiandining.net Seems to be a pretty comprehensive website... Mon Aug 07 18:36:46 -0700 2006 1768374 24290 masha3003 1 1793574 My husband, three children and I had a HORRIBLE experience at Katia's three weeks ago, for an early Sunday dinner. The service was so horrendous that 90 minutes after arriving when my husband and I had not received our entrees (thank goodness the children had something to eat) that we threw our cash on the table and walked out. NEVER AGAIN! Tue Aug 08 00:33:16 -0700 2006 1768374 24384 lisabrownie