CITYLIFE / Eating Out

Russian: Flying Elephant Restaurant
By Mira Smith (CityWeekend)
Updated: 2006-05-09 11:51

For those with Eastern European heritage-or just a taste for cabbage and potatoes-the new Flying Elephant Restaurant is an inexpensive, filling taste of home.

Start off with the Caucasus Salad (RMB 12), followed by Beef Stroganoff (beef strips sauteed in sour cream with mushrooms and onions, RMB 31), which comes highly recommended by homesick Russians. The house specialty is the Home-style Herring-a salad mixing herring, grated beets and potatoes with a mayonnaise sauce (RMB 25).

You can also sample red caviar, pancakes and crepes, cabbage pies, and a variety of meats, fish and chicken baked Russian-style under sour cream or mayonnaise. Don't forget to order some Russian black bread (RMB 5), which they bake themselves.

For a truly authentic experience, make sure to catch the Russian pop band, which takes to the stage between 7pm and 3am. But be prepared for slow service and waiters who speak neither English nor Russian.

Location: 3/F, The Bund Hotel, No. 525, Guangdonglu
Tel: 021-63510797
Perfect for: hearty home-style meals