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| - This is one of 3 Russian groceries in the Phoenix
metro area (that I know of at least). The other two
being Russian Market on 19th @ Northern and Yasha
From Russia between 32nd and Shea and the 51. This
one is in a non-descript mall on the SW corner of
Bell and 12th St - across 12th from the Fresh and
Easy. Parking is pretty good as it's one of the
few open businesses in that mall. It's been in business
for about 7 years now and is run by a very friendly
guy named David - who speaks English and Russian.
I come here for the pelmeni - frozen Siberian pelmeni.
How can I describe this? A cousin of pierogi, gyoza,
shumai, jao zu - this is the Russian variant - eaten
with melted butter, sour cream, dill, pepper. Great stuff.
They have veal, beef, pork, pork and beef - both Grandma's
Perogies brand and one with their own European Food Market
label. I also always grab some Kvass - a fermented beverage
made from black or regular rye bread. It's sort of like an
alternative to Coke or Pepsi. Taste is somewhere between
Coca Cola and Kombucha. Nikola is the brand I stick to but
there are a few others in this store. I'm also a sucker for
the Georgian mineral water. Ever since the Trader Joe's near
me stopped stocking enough Gerolsteiner and Pellegrino so
that I could buy them in boxes and not just individual bottles
I started coming here for my mineral water fix. This store
carries Nabeghlavi, Essentuki and Borjomi brands - all of
which I'm told supposedly have healing qualities - especially
for digestive problems. I don't drink it for those reasons
though. I just enjoy a cold bubbly beverage that isn't loaded
with sugar or sugar substitutes.
They also have Baltiskii black bread in the refrigerator. Of
course there's nothing like the fresh bread just out of the
oven but this is the best you're likely to do in Phoenix. I
think Yasha's might have some they make themselves if I remember
correctly. There are also tons of candies, cookies, sausages and
cold cuts, pickled mushrooms, eggplant caviar... This is also
the place to come for New Year's Eve if you celebrate it Russian
style - with ikra (salmon roe caviar) spread over Russian bread
with Russian butter while watching a cheesy love story about a
man and a woman that meet by accident because the guy was drunk
and went home to the wrong apartment and his key still was able
to open the door. It's the Soviet New Year's equivalent to our
Christmas TV staple It's A Wonderful Life.
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