Seems like Russia but it's actually still China

Ha'erbin has a fascinating Russian streak that I was dying to explore. I mean, it's further north than Vladivostok, for crying out loud! And, explorations had to include those of the culinary kind.

The first stop was a Russian tea house called Cafe Russia 1914.

It was decorated aptly in an old-fashioned, tablecloth bedecked way. Max and I ordered some tea and some tea snacks to while away some afternoon hours.

Both pots of "Russian tea" we received were far too weak. Where was the strong tea that China was famous for? Where was the robust flavor that Russians do not shy away from? Not in this tea.

Better were the light snacks. A plateful of roughly chopped pickles brought a distinctly non-Asian taste to my palate. The mashed potatoes were regular, but they were topped in a delicious black pepper sauce. The sauce was quite spicy, bringing a snappiness to each bite and creating a mini-addiction for me. It oddly reminded me of eating pepper crab in Singapore.

After dipping our toes in the Russian waters, however, we wanted to go whole hog. Max had secured the name of a true Russian establishment at the beginning of our previous evening at the Russian disco. Called Around The World, it was a taxi ride away in an indistinguishable part of town. Upon entering, however, we saw that this place was the real deal.

The dining room was elaborate and the bar had been made out of the hull of a ship.

They even had a full selection of Russian beers. We went with the Baltica 9. It was good if too light for the meal we were about to enjoy.

Appetizer one was salted pork with whole grain mustard. What a change of pace from the Chinese food I had been eating. And so good. The paper thin slices of pork were a cross between bacon and prosciutto. And, moreover, the mustard awakened taste buds that haven't seen a mustard seed in months. I even ate some of the mustard plain.

The second appetizer was pancakes with salmon roe. These were the standout of a very good meal. The pancakes, more like crepes, were expertly cooked and had not a raw or overcooked spot anywhere. They were slickened by a creamy butter that made everything delicious. And the salmon roe was the proverbial cherry on top. The way these roe popped, they had to be so fresh. They brought a saltiness that balanced the sweetness of the butter and the breadiness of the pancake perfectly.

Max and I had to split the third pancake precisely evenly, there was no other option.

As a soup course, I had the okroshka (or cold meat soup). It was a bowl of joy. The creamy base wasn't too thick nor too thin, imparting its own flavor while making room for others. It also (according to Wikipedia) contained krass, a fermented beverage made from rye bread, with a very low alcohol content. Huh. Mixed into the soup was a bunch of green onion and a bushel of parsley. Finally, the cold meat was there, small diced chunks of smoked pork. The entire thing was a refreshing mix.

Max went for the borscht. Longtime readers will know I have a strong (and unfortunately unavoidable) aversion to beets. Something about them always tastes too pickled and just off. But! Miracle of miracles! Somehow, the beets in this borscht were manageable. And, there were delicious tomatoes and awesome spicing to drown them out. I could make my way through stealing a couple of bites of his soup.

Moving on to main dishes, one was chicken stuffed with pistachios and then deep-fried. This was pretty good. It suffered a bit from a too thick batter and too long frying process. The creamy sauce on top was nice.

The other main was broiled carp with cream sauce of onions and mushrooms. The sauce here was delicious, as the cream had invaded the mushrooms and made them quite tasty. The fish was nicely cooked, though needed the sauce.

One dessert was this chocolate tiramisu cake, nice and light and providing a burst of chocolate. The other, no picture alas, was edem, or broiled apples in caramel sauce stuffed with dates and nuts. Um, good. So warm and satisfying.

The meal then took an unanticipated turn when the evening entertainment came on. Two sets of artists alternated. The first was a couple that looked like Russian ice dancing rejects and danced a mix of burlesque and ballroom dancing. The second was a solo woman who belted out (or was it lip synced?) tunes both sad and sultry. Odd. Oh, and there was disco lighting throughout, and many curious Chinese patrons who repeatedly blocked our view with their attempts to take photos.

In balance, though, this was a highly memorable meal. The salmon crepes and the two soups will stand the test of time and of judgment - they were darn good.