Alyonka Russian Cuisine 

Russia and Boise seems like the most the most unlikely pairing possible, two completely different countries, cultures, and worlds. However, they are connected by a modest, 9 table, family owned restaurant; Alyonka Russian Cuisine. Small but mighty and committed to serving fresh ingredients and homestyle Eastern European dishes. Please enjoy our thoughts.

Experience

In all honesty, the atmosphere was our favorite part. As we previously mentioned, this place is tiny, with only a handful of tables, and clear view into the kitchen. The whole restaurant felt extremely intimate, as you are able to watch you meal being prepared, cooked, then delivered. We did enjoy this though, it provided for an alive, but comfy atmosphere. It also seemed much darker inside than what would usually be the case in other restaurants. Albeit different, it helped bring alive the atmosphere that Alyonka wants to create. Other than atmosphere, our waters arrived quickly and were cold. The timing of the food was well spaced apart, and our meal came out quick enough, even in the full restaurant. The entire staff also seemed entirely Eastern European/Russian which is an incredible testament to the authenticity of it all.

Food

We started with two appetizers, the Caviar Blini, and a Chebureki. The Caviar Blini consisted of salmon caviar, smoked salmon, Russian crepes, and sour cream. The salmon caviar was a very strong salty flavor, and seemed fresh. The smoked salmon was underwhelming, seeming basic and store bought, we thought the same with the sour cream. Individually, this dish didn't stand out to us, but was improved apon combination of these ingredients (which is probably intended.) Then, we had a Chebureki, a fried turnover filled with beef. This was our favorite dish all night, the outside being a perfect crisp and filled with a portion of flavorful beef. We would recommend this. 

For our entrees we had Beef Stroganoff and Vareniki (dumplings filled with mushroom and potato). Starting with the Vareniki, frankly, it was bland, and didn't impress us. The consistency was a bit grainy and had a hint of mushroom, but other than that, it seemed like it was dough filled with a flavorless-paste. It did improve when dipped in sour cream, but on its own we didn't enjoy it. Then the Beef Stroganoff, once again it didn't live up to our expectations. The whole dish wasn't particularly flavorful either, in some spots it was supplemented by chunks of beef, but the overall flavor wasn't special. The food did have a very homestyle feel especially with its larger portions. Maybe an off night, or maybe not the strongest order, unfortunately the food didn't wow us. 

Value

The prices varied throughout the meal and throughout the different dishes and due to this we will assume that this is because of the various different ingredients involved in the making of each dish. For that reason, along with larger portions, we wont completely knock the value. We did think it was a tad overpriced however, especially with our thoughts on the food. 

What we ordered 

• Caviar Blini - $17.95

• Chebureki - $7.50

• Beef Stroganoff - $28.95

• Vareniki - $28.95