Nevsky Russian Restaurant
476 Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick
03 9530 0012
Russian
$$$
Food
- Piroshki s Myasom - house-made baked pasty filled with minced beef
- Fricassee (Julienne) - creamy chicken & mushroom casserole baked with cheese
- Golubtsi - minced beef with herbs, spices & pilaf rice wrapped in cabbage leaves, oven baked in a tomato & sour cream sauce (gf)
- Sibirskie Pelmeni - Siberian dumplings filled with beef & pork mince, tossed in butter & dill with sour cream on the side
The Good
Everything was rather delicious. The highlight for me though was the Piroshki s Myasom.
The dough was highly aromatic, which smelled and tasted of fresh bread jusf baked out of the oven. The outer still had a slight crunch and embodied a soft, fluffy inner which also contained s delicious and flavourful spiced minced meat. The meat was flavoured perfectly and fortunately didn’t overpower the aromas of the bread. Simply perfect.
Another standout was the Fricassee. The super cheesey top which was composed of quality, flavourful and stringy cheese complemented the chicken casserole surprisingly well. The chicken was soft and tender, and inherited some flavours from the creamy and rich sauce of the casserole. Combined with bits of mushrooms that melted in your mouth, this was undoubtedly one of the best casseroles hands down.
By the time we got to the Golubtsi, we were already rather full. Nonetheless, that did not deter us as it also very delicious. The cabbage was cooked to just the right softness, wrapping a huge, chunky piece of perfectly seasoned mince. Combined with the tomato based sauce and a tad of sour cream, this was like lasagne on steroids. The flavours just complemented each other so well and devouring each mouthful just begged for another bite.
The dumplings were naturally a must-have and they surely didn’t disappoint. It was overall a rather plain dish flsvour-wise. The dumplings skins were soft and silky, wrapping some lightly sessoned, quality beef and pork mince. The butter sauce wasn’t overly rich nor overpowering and the flavours combined exceedingly well with the generous amount of dill. The only complaint maybe due to the butter, the sauce was a tad too salty. Still some awesome and delicious dumplings though and definitely different from the Chinese variety.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Overall a rather unique experience to have in Melbourne. The dishes were flavoured perfectly and very filling without being overly rich or heavy.
Given that it’s the only Russian restaurant, the dishes literally can’t be found elsewhere. How authentic is it? I have no idea at all, but whatever, because it was rather delicious nonetheless!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Definitely! I’d be trying their casserole as a main next time. Yes it was that good.