New York Russian Restaurants

Just say "da," the Russian equivalent of yes, to the traditional Russian cuisine at this Flatiron District venue. Appetizers include herring, cod liver pate and blinis with sturgeon black caviar. You expect a good Russian restaurant to serve borsch and Mari Vanna's delivers the goods. Restaurant specialties include beef Stroganoff, rainbow trout and crab cake in red caviar sauce. The dress code is casual and takeout is available. This is a great place to grab a late dinner because it stays open until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.

Mari Vanna
41 E. 20th St.
Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 777-1955
marivanna.ru/ny

FireBird extols the virtues of Tsarist Russia with a decor that features artwork and design from pre-revolutionary Russia. The menu features traditional Russian fare: potato-crusted Maine diver scallops, marinated lamb with smoked sturgeon, salmon baked in a puff pastry and Ukrainian beet borsch. The ingredients that go into very old-school Russian selections like Chicken Kiev, salmon caviar blini and Stroganoff with filet of beef and homemade pasta have been used by locals In Russia for centuries. Not everything on the menu is inspired by Russia, however. Desserts include flambéed bananas foster, chocolate torte and New York cheesecake. A dinner jacket is suggested for men, but you won't get tossed out if you show up without one (although you may feel conspicuous). The fireplace makes for romance on a cold winter evening and a private room is available if you really want to celebrate a memorable day on the links.

FireBird
365 W. 46th Street
Manhattan, NY 10036
(212) 586-0244
firebirdrestaurant.com

Russian Samovar's energy level consistently rises through the night as the crowds arrive and the house band heats up. Many brands of vodka flow at the Samovar and that certainly helps to release patrons' inhibitions. Appetizers include beluga caviar and eggplant caviar, which is really roasted eggplant with peppers and tomato puree. Pate Russe may have you wondering why the French seem to have a monopoly on chicken liver plates. Hot appetizers include blini with smoked salmon, Russian sirloin and cabbage and grape leaves stuffed with spicy lamb. Yes, the Samovar fulfills the borsch necessity, but you may leave soup behind to get to the beef Stroganoff, lamb chops or marinated Cornish game hen.

Russian Samovar
256 W. 52nd Street
Manhattan, NY 10019
(212) 757-0168
russiansamovar.com