In time for Advent: check out vegetarian options in Kyiv

ainian cuisine is known to be hearty, filling and meaty, reflecting Ukrainian tastes. And despite the number of different cuisines found in Kyiv’s restaurants now, there is still no place that’s strictly vegetarian - even salad bars don’t lack meat options – so, the city’s vegetarians are forced to limit themselves to vegetarian offers found in some of the eateries. In time for Advent, which has already started, prompting those who follow it closely into temporary vegetarianism, we decided to find out what Kyiv restaurants have to offer when it comes to vegetarian dishes. But first, a few words on what being a vegetarian actually means.

Vegetarianism is an animal-friendly nutritional practice, founded on the idea of not consuming products acquired through the death of animals. All vegetarians refuse to eat meat, while some also avoid dairy products and eggs, and the strictest vegetarians—called vegans—exclude even honey. The oldest vegetarians are Indians – they have been practicing vegetarianism since possibly the second millennium BC due to religious beliefs. Vegetarianism is widespread in Asia, but there are lots of vegetarians all over the world. The famous ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras and his followers were also believed to be vegetarians. Although it is not against Christian beliefs to indulge in meat or animal products, during Advent, Christians are supposed to abstain from eating meat, dairy products and eggs.

Vegetarian eats

Vegetarianism is not very popular in Ukraine, and there are no special vegetarian restaurants in Kyiv. However, many places offer meatless dishes and vegetarian meals. And besides – good news for Kyiv vegetarians: the Advent, which lasts from November 28 through December 6, has just begun. That means Advent specials have already appeared on the menu of many restaurants.

One of the best places for vegetarians is Za Dvoma Zaytsyamy (Chasing Two Hares), named after a famous Ukrainian comedy film, based on the story that takes place in the beginning of the last century, in the same picturesque, historical part of the city, where the restaurant is located. Among the traditional Ukrainian dishes offered here, you will find over 15 vegetarian options: spinach and asparagus soup served with soy sour cream, different salads, including vinegret (common Ukrainian salad of boiled vegetables and pickled cucumbers), grilled and slightly boiled vegetables and stuffed eggplant. For dessert, you can order baked apples with honey, raisins and nuts, and wash it all down with traditional juice beverages such as mors (a cranberry drink), uzvar (made of dried fruits), compote or kissel. A complete meal will cost you about Hr 100.

O’Panas (formerly Taras), situated inside Shevchenko Park, has yet to add an Advent special to its menu. But you can order its “Taras I Byky” (“Taras And The Bulls”), for Hr 26, all year long. This dish is made of fried, grated squash with mushrooms. In addition, O’Panas has vegetarian dishes like mushroom soup with crusts of bread for Hr 19 and many salad options from Hr 25-35.

At Mocco restaurant, you can choose from over 25 coffee beverages as well as an assortment of meatless dishes, including an Advent special. You can choose between vegetable salad, hot potato salad, and pickled cabbage and cucumber salad and mushroom vinegret; salads start at Hr 21. Among Mocco’s vegeterian soups (from Hr 24) are solianka, a soup made from mushrooms, Advent borshch, mushroom soup-puree and kidney-bean soup. The Advent main dishes include roasted vegetables, buckwheat porridge and vegetable pancakes with spinach. For dessert, you can order baked apple or apple strudel for Hr 27.

Fusion restaurant Marokana offers a special vegetarian menu, which includes several vegetarian offerings. Some options include: fresh cucumber rolls; hiyashi wakame seaweed and frieze salad (Hr 45); Mig-salad of mushrooms and avocado with sesame dressing and lemon juice (Hr 42); rice with piquant vegetables fried in olive oil for Hr 50; vegetable bullion with ravioli and spinach (Hr 22); eggplants, cabbage and asparagus with nut sauce (Hr 59); For dessert you can have baked apples with honey, cinnamon and lemon (Hr 59).

Beryozka, a new Kyiv salad bar, is a great place for vegeterians, and anyone who prefers healthy eating. An added bonus is that its cook promises to make any salad according to your own taste. In Beryozka’s menu you can find a number of truly vegetarian dishes. Among the salads, starting from Hr 26, you can order the spinach salad served with mustard dressing or the apple and celery salad. Marinated vegetables cost Hr 39; pickled vegetables are Hr 22. The restaurant’s main vegetarian dishes are zucchini pancakes (Hr 18), vegetable puree (Hr 19), buckwheat porridge with mushrooms (Hr 24), wild rice (Hr 24) and couscous with vegetables (Hr 21). For dessert you can choose between carpachio (strawberries with a champagne dressing) for Hr 44, pineapple rolls for Hr 28 and fruit salad for Hr 80. A healthy drink to match the food would be birch sap or uzvar.

Za Dvoma ZaytsYamy (34 Andriyivskiy Uzviz, 279-7972)

O’Panas (10 Tereshchenkivska, 235-2132)

Mocco (15 Khreshchatyk, 230-9230)

Marokana (24 Lesi Ukrayinky, 254-4999)

Beryozka (2 Esplanadna, 581-3222)

 

Go fish!

If your kind of vegeterianism doesn’t exclude eating fish, you can satisfy your hunger at Kyiv’s best fish restaurants. The fish restaurant Avalon is convenient for those who eat fish as well as vegans. The restaurant’s cuisine is based on seafood: you can choose between 12 kinds of fish and plenty of other seafood such as shrimp, lobster, squid, devil-fish and cuttlefish. The vegetarian highlight of the menu is their Lenten Special. It includes roasted pumpkin, hot potato salad, mushroom soup with noodles and vegetables, vegetable stewand carp quenelle. The prices are Hr 25 to Hr 64 per dish.

Ikra (Caviar) restaurant is a good place to dine when you crave tasty, fresh seafood. Ikra offers more than 25 kinds of fish – the cheapest is Hr 32 per 100 grams. It has a wide assortment of oysters – from Tsarskiy Oysters (Hr 25) to Imperial Oysters (Hr 44) and Belon # 000 (Hr 47). Ikra also has a sushi-bar: sushi starts at Hr 18 and rolls – at Hr 50. From noon till 6 p.m. on weekdays there is a 20 percent discount for all dishes.

Asakhi is a Japanese restaurant offering plenty of seafood and a special vegetarian menu. It includes miso soup (Hr 17) and various vegetable sushi: sushi-chuka, made of Japanese seaweed, for

Hr 7, avocado sushi for Hr 9, cucumber rolls for Hr 22, doy kon rolls (with Japanese raddish) for Hr 24 and campio rolls (Japanese pumpkin) for Hr 29.

Note that the prices listed are promotional, as there is now a 50% discount for sushi at the eatery. Five vegetarian salads from Hr 20 to Hr 50 are also offered at Asakhi.

Avalon (3 Leontovycha, 234-7494).

Ikra (11 Pankivska, 244-1990).

Asakhi (1G Saksahanskoho, 244-2237).

 

Indian experience

A true vegetarian heaven can be found at Indian restaurants in Kyiv (there are only three of them so far), simply because Indian cuisine is primarily vegetarian, and although their menus are adapted to Ukrainian tastes, and include more meat dishes than it is common in India, the majority of the menu should suit any vegetarian’s tastes – if you don’t mind the spices, of course.

One of the two oldest Indian restaurants in Kyiv, New Bombay Palace, located by Patona bridge, offers plenty of traditional Indian vegetarian dishes. Here are the vegetarian dishes to choose from: mixed vegetable curry (fresh vegetables cooked in curry), Alu-Gobi (cauliflower cooked with potatoes Indian style), Dal (lentils cooked in a special sauce with spices), Palak Paneer (cooked with fresh spinach and spices), Tomato Paneer (cooked in tomato sauce with cream and spices), Shagi Paneer (prepared in a mild cashew nut sauce with cream and raisins) and Mattar Paneer (made in special sauce with green peas). Also on the menu: Mushroom Mattar (mushrooms and green peas cooked in special sauce with spices), Banana Curry (sliced banana cooked in curry sauce with spices) and Alu-Saag (potatoes prepared with fresh spinach, spices and cream). If those options aren’t enough, more vegetarian dishes are offered in the main menu, including famous Indian yeast bread Naan and Samosa. Prices start at Hr 40 per dish.

Another great place for vegetarians is the centrally located Indian restaurant Himalaya. Their vegetarian menu includes Banarsi Damaaloo (typical Indian dish, prepared with potato, nut gravy, cream and butter) for Hr 36; Potato-Cauliflower (a dry mixture of potato and cauliflower with spices) for Hr 39 and Kofta (deep-fried assorted vegetables, served in a thick onion sauce) for Hr 39. Himalaya also has a large assortment of Paneer dishes: Shanee Paneer (served in tomato and onion gravy) for Hr 54; Mattar Paneer with green peas (seasoned with onion sauce) for Hr 38; Handi Paneer (prepared with vegetables in thick gravy) for Hr 49; Palak Paneer (made with spinach in onion sauce) for Hr 54.

The newest Indian restaurant, Taj, offers modestly priced vegetarian dishes. The Taj salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions, seasoned with olive oil, costs Hr 16; the Green Salad with different vegetables is Hr 15. You can choose between garlic soup for Hr 12, mushroom soup for Hr 15 and vegetable soup for Hr 12. Among the main vegetarian dishes are, once again, Taj (seasonal vegetables in the traditional style) for Hr 20; Dal (gravy of peas) for Hr 18; Korma (seasonal vegetables with coconut milk and sweet-sour sauce) for Hr 22; Pallak Paneer (cheese with spinach) for Hr 20 and Aloo Mattar (green peas with fried onions and potatoes) for Hr 22. Taj also offers vegetarian plov: Shada-plov with cardamom and cinnamon, Mattar-plov with green peas, Kashmiri-plov with fruit, Masalla-plov with spices and Vegetable plov – all from Hr 11 to Hr 15. The popular vegetarian dish Rayta is served there with potatoes for Hr 8 or pineapples for Hr 12. You can also order a vegetable cutlet for Hr 20. For dessert, the traditional Indian sweet Geelabi is only Hr 5.

New Bombay Palace (6 Krutiy Spusk, 285-8708).

Himalaya (23 Khreshchatyk, 270-5437).

Taj (25 Litnya, 528-7200).