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Photograph by Moryt Milo
Hello Glasnost: Sue Lassetter of San Jose and Carol Perez, an art teacher at Campbell's Del Mar High School, eat borscht soup and hot pastrami sandwiches at Russian Tea House, 2080 S. Bascom Ave.
Public Citizen
A Russian palate for Campbell
By Moryt Milo
Cooking is Alla Gluzman's life, and after two decades of being a main chef from Russia to Campbell, she has a restaurant of her own.
In August, she and her son, Vladimir, became co-owners of the Russian Tea House, 2080 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell, fullfilling a longtime dream to be a chef in her own establishment.
Her son says, "It's a perfect match because I speak English and she can cook."
For 18 years, Alla was the main chef at a restaurant in Samara City, Russia, that sat 800 people. She then immigrated to the United States and was the main chef for seven years at the Russian Deli and Cafe on Winchester Avenue in Campbell.
But after creating menus and dishes for the Russian Deli and Cafe, Vladimir, 24, says, "My mom wanted to venture out on her own." It was the primary reason Alla started a restaurant of her own, her son says.
The tea house, which has been open since August 2001, serves traditional Russian foods, all homemade by Alla. Customers can try recipes like borscht soup-made from red beets-topped with sour cream; stuffed cabbage rolls, called golubtsy; pastry pockets stuffed with meat or vegetables called piroskis; and a hot pastrami served on thick Russian black bread.
Many of the items they sell are imported from places like Russia, Lithuania and other Eastern European countries. Boxes of sweets line the counter, and it is covered with Russian writing.
Vladimir, a former engineer who was laid off from a dot-com company, has connected two computers in the tea house to the Internet, enabling people to eat and surf at the same time.
Vladimir also plans to work closely with his mom and learn her culinary skills, which she has been perfecting since he began kindergarten and his mother headed off to culinary college in Russia.
Russian Tea House customer Carol Perez, an art teacher at Campbell Del Mar High school, who brought her friend Sue Lassetter, owner of Lassetter Speaking and Coaching, says, "This is my second time here. The first time I came because I was curious. The second time I came because [the food] is so good."
Vladimir says he and his mother were amazed at the number of people who called and congratulated them on opening up their own tea house and deli.
"We never expected that kind of support," Vladimir says.
For Alla and Vladimir, having another Russian tea and deli in the same town is just a business, even though it is unique to have two Russian delis in one small town.
But he says opening the restaurant is really about remembering family roots.
"Our culture is disappearing little by little, and this is one way to preserve it," he says.
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Campbell, California
