Shashlik Russian
#06-19 Far East Shopping Centre
545 Orchard Road
Singapore
PRICE: $$
RATING: ???–

Mum decided she wanted to have Russian food for her birthday lunch! Seriously, she is the only Asian mum I know that really likes Mexican and also Russian food. It never fails to amuse Chris 😉

Her place of choice was Shashlik, a quaint little nook of a Russian cafe right in the middle of the city. It’s all a bit dark and almost musty inside, with old waiters shuffling around pushing trolleys that they place the food on. They’ve (the restaurant and the waiters) been around for years, apparently, and instead of being weird, it all kind of adds to the charm of the place.

Having been to Russia, I’d say the food isn’t quite like the local food in Russia, as it seems to have been a bit Asian-ified. Having said that, it’s all still really tasty so no complains there.

My only real issue was the prices. The Shashlik of beef served with Russian salad was SG$26 which, at that price, can get you a decently-sized steak at a nice restaurant. Instead, it was teeny tiny! I’d say it would have been worth around $8.

But first things first. The Borscht soup was deliciously creamy, thanks to the dollop of sour cream they add in. It’s tomato based though, and the borscht soups I’ve had in Russia were beetroot based, so perhaps Singaporeans prefer tomato based?? Nevertheless, I enjoyed it, despite it only having a few tiny pieces of beef..

The Caviar on crepes (there is a proper name for this dish, but I forgot) came out very plain looking, but was otherwise very tasty. They didn’t skimp on the caviar and it was a simple but nice dish.

And, yep, this below is the very woeful looking Shashlik of beef served with Russian salad. What does the $26 get you? A small plate of standard salad greens, and ONE kebab-sized (I kid you not) stick of beef. I think I must’ve gone into a state of shock when the dish arrived, because I don’t remember much of eating it. The beef was really good – tender and tasty – but nothing flat out spectacular and, like I said earlier, would have been better priced at $8.

The Oxtail was impressive looking and was actually a pretty decent portion, considering it was part of a set lunch deal. The fries were a bit random though (I don’t remember crinkle cut fries being served in Russia, with oxtail?). But the meat was tender, and the gravy was rich and delicious, so no complaints 🙂

I would say Shashlik is a cute place to go to if you want to try something that’s a little different in Singapore. It does feel like a throw back in time and the food is good. Just keep in mind though that, despite looking like a grungy cheap cafe, the prices are more restaurant-prices.