Russian Restaurant Kaien
Russian cuisine is not very well known even in Tokyo where you can enjoy the variety of cuisine from around the world. There is a restaurant serving Russian home style cooking in a resident area of Hongo, Bunkyo-ku. “Russian Restaurant Kaien” is run by the chef Yukio Keduka who has been in the industry for 50 years.
Mr. Keduka originally mastered French culinary techniques. And he started to work for the long-established Russian restaurant “Sungari” in Shinjuku to get more knowledge and skills of cooking. When the master of the restaurant took him to the former Soviet Union, he was charmed by Russian cuisine.
The chef says, “When I tried food at local restaurants, people ate together having some wine and vodka. I found the homely atmosphere so comfortable.” From that experience, he has run the Russian restaurant with the motto that is “good taste, reasonable price and common touch.”
Everything is homemade including bread and sauce at “Kaien”. Their masterpiece “Borsch” is cooked with special broth boiled for 8 hours. The beet soup is stewed until the ingredients become soft, and it is very voluminous.
“Shashlik” is served with homemade “Ajika.” Their side dishes are Russian-style sauerkraut “Kapusta” and pickle. The lactic fermented cabbage’s mild sourness would suit meat dish.
They have wines, but please try the vodka recommended by the chef. They have aromatic and sweet ones flavored with spice or fruit, and vodka matches their dishes.
Their lunch set (price around 1100 yen) is popular. They serve one main dish such as Beef stroganoff and Shashlik with Borsch, salad, Russian tea and mini desert.
When you have their nutritious Russian cuisine, your body becomes warm from inside and it will help you live through cold winter.
Feb. 2020 Text: Ryoko Kuraishi Photo: Yasuo Yamaguchi