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Taste of Russia, a restaurant owned by Mark Khasin, specializes in authentic Russian food and products.

Russian deli finds a following in the NHL

By Eric Drudis

They can't sell vodka, but practically every other Russian specialty is sold at Taste of Russia, the only Russian restaurant in the Cupertino-Sunnyvale area.

"We have very popular, very delicious food," explains manager Mark Khasin. Since the restaurant opened nearly three years ago, he says, business has been unpredictable but generally good.

"Some days, very few people come. Other days we are very full," Khasin adds.

According to Khasin, former Olympian and San Jose Sharks hockey player Sergei Makarov occasionally eats at the deli. Visiting hockey teams have sometimes eaten there--and several of the Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings have stopped by the eatery while in town, he says.

Most of his customers, however, come from the surrounding neighborhood.

"In this area there are many Russian and Eastern European immigrants," he says. "We mainly serve them, but sometimes they bring their friends to eat also."

The deli currently serves only breakfast and lunch, but some people come to buy dinner to go, Khasin says. The restaurant also operates a successful catering business. But Khasin says there are no plans yet to open a second restaurant.

"We want to concentrate here right now," Khasin says. "The restaurant business is very risky, and most American people are very conservative about their food choices. It will take some time before Russian food is very popular in America."

He thinks that in 20 or 30 years, after Russian immigrants have established themselves in the United States, Eastern European food will become as popular as Chinese food.

"It took a while for Chinese food to become popular, so Russian food needs time also," he says.

Among the more popular items on the restaurant's menu are chicken Kiev, stuffed cabbage rolls, blintzes and borscht, a traditional Russian soup made of vegetables and beef broth.

"They have very good food," says frequent customer Ruth Zaltsmann, a native of Estonia. "I sometimes eat there, and it is authentic Russian food."

Along with the restaurant, Khasin operates a small Russian shop that sells Eastern European specialties. Latvian and Moldovan champagne, Russian chocolates and sweets and breads imported directly from Europe are popular items.

So is caviar, which Khasin says costs $25 less than in other stores.

"Black caviar costs $25 for 56 grams, and red caviar [which comes from salmon] costs $24 a pound," he says. "This is very cheap and very good. Straight from Russia."

Just like the restaurant.

A Taste of Russia is located at 7335 Bollinger Road in Cupertino. The restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 257-3482.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 29, 1998.
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