An Edible Voyage

September 2019 To stock me up for my journey home, I wanted to find some good, solid Ukranian cuisine.  Puzata Hata was just the place - a cheerful canteen with a wide selection of Ukraine's most iconic dishes, decent quality, and big portions for a small price tag.   The potato vareniki were surprisingly flavourful for what it is effectively a potato dumpling, although, as expected, they were rather mono-textured.  The dill crepe cake was a bit like a salad in cake form.  The crepes gave it an interesting texture but it had a surprisingly overpowering flavour and the liberal mayonnaise made it rather rich. Find these, alongside many other Ukrainian specialities, at Puzata Hata.  There are many branches across the Ukraine, including several in Kiev.

September 2019 I had this cheesecake at a very cool cafe, however unfortunately I never established it's name...  Inside was a glorious mixture of colourful art, small sculptures and mis-matched seating, with cushions outside for lazy afternoons and long summer evenings.  The menu was in Ukrainian and the staff spoke no English, but there was an enticing display of sweet treats to choose from, and a coffee can be ordered in any language right?! I was particularly taken with the matcha and chia raw cheesecake - it was a little bland, and had an unusual jelly-like from the chia, however I loved this place for it's vibe, Ukrainianess, and the eclectic selection of art to admire.   Find it on Nyzhnii Val St - look for the outside cushions, just west from Veterano Brownie.

September 2019 I always find it interesting how much breakfast varies so much across different regions, and I really enjoyed my experience of Ukrainian breakfast. Lviv Syrnyk is a a light an airy, souffle-like cheesecake made from quark.  The almost graininess added some texture to an otherwise soft dish, and the subtle flavour was a good match for a morning coffee.  A great way to start the day!

September 2019 I didn't expect to find an eclair in Kiev, yet alone such a delicious and beautiful one.  It was incredibly hard to pick from the array of exquisitely decorated, exotic flavoured offerings, so I opted for poppy seed - a popular filling for Ukrainian baked goods.  I was also intrigued as to how yogurt would work in an eclair. Well, it turns out! The tangyness of the yogurt, nuttiness of the poppy seeds, and sweet almonds worked well together to give a profile of subtle, well-balanced flavours, which was less sickly than a standard eclair. Find it at Art Eclair, Kiev.  

September 2019 What would a trip to Kiev be without sampling all things Kiev?   Kiev cake has layers of meringue with hazelnuts, a creamy filling and a chocolate glaze.  Although it is fairly light and airy, it is rather sweet, which even the nuttiness couldn't offset.  Good to try though! At Rebra Kotlety they have all sorts of fillings for their Kiev, including raspberry! Had to be tried! The sharp fruit flavours shone through and worked surprisingly well against the richness of the Kiev.  The Kiev was a little dry, but scored points for the convenience of being hand-held. Find both of these at Rebra Kotlety, Podil.  There is also a branch at Obolon.