Roadside Cafe

Russia has few real chain restaurants like those in America. Pizza has become popular and in our city there are now 3 chains in operation. McDonald's has also been successful as well as a KFC owned fried chicken chain called Rostiks.

Outside of the large cites you can find small restaurants and cafeterias, though they are not what you would usually picture in America. Fast food options while driving long distances are basically nonexistent. Cross country highways here are not like superhighways in America but are 2 lane roads. If you happen to be driving through a village there are small convenience stores where you can buy snacks or you might find the occasional roadside cafe like the one here.

Just yesterday we were driving back from a day at one of the rehabs and we decided to try and stop someplace to get something to eat. Here is where we ate.

The Cafe

The sign says - Shashlichnaya - Hot Dishes - Cafe - Beer.

A Shashlichnaya is a place that sells what we would call shish-kabob. In Russia this is a popular meal. The meat is usually chunks of beef, pork or chicken, complete with bone and lots of fat and gristle. This is a typical roadside place. The picture actually makes it look nicer and cleaner than it was. Around the side is a small dining room and a place to eat outside. It was only about 50F out, so we chose the dining room.

Karen outside the dining room,
waitress carrying our food from the kitchen to the diningroom

When I went to the car to get our camera I found this little guy
wandering around outside the dining room.

Karen in the dining room
Here is our meal

We ordered a "combo plate", The meal was a fresh Russian style salad (no lettuce), roast potatoes, sausage, a little bit of chicken and some roast lamb. the meal was completed with a pot of hot tea which was flavored with, of all things - oregano! I enjoyed it.

We hope you enjoyed this "taste" of life in Russia