A venture from Russian chef Alexei Zimin that combines Russian street food and drink in a kitsch speakeasy-style atmosphere will open in Soho on 31 March. Zima occupies the basement of a Grade-II listed townhouse on Frith Street, right next door to the legendary Ronnie Scott’s jazz club.
As well as TV presenting, editing Russia’s culinary bible, Eda, and launching his restaurant and cookery school, Ragout, Zimin is hoping to make Russian street food cool again.
Zima will combine street and gourmet food in an array of tapas-style dishes featuring classic ingredients from all corners of his vast homeland, like sturgeon, herring, scallops, crab, venison and, of course, caviar.
On the menu: Kamchatka staple crab claw with bread crisps & red caviar; black caviar with traditional sides from Yaroslavl (pictured); or Ufa favourite, honey & sour cream cake “Medovik”.
As well as food there will be Russian beers like Siberian Crown, and cocktails using vodka infusions flavoured with fennel & tarragon; basil & strawberry and lingonberry & apple with curry leaves.
For the interior we’re told to ‘think Russian dacha and Soviet-era ryumochnaya (vodka bar)’ – adorned with slogan-and-symbol-embossed propaganda porcelain. Have you got a mental picture?!
