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Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Sochi owner Isaak Mangeyn says the atmosphere of his restaurant is reminiscent of Sochi, an exotic resort near his home on the Black Sea.

Having fun at Sochi

By Eric Drudis

On the Black Sea, one of the largest, most exotic resorts is known as Sochi.

"Sochi is the equivalent of Hawaii to Americans," explains Isaak Mangeyn, the owner of Sochi Cafe and Grill, a 4-month-old restaurant named after the resort area.

Mangeyn's home on the Black Sea is a place "people can always have fun, swim, enjoy the food and enjoy life in general," he explains. "It's the same reason they come here to eat."

Specialties include pelemeni, a Siberian beef dumpling, the Russian soup borscht and grilled vegetable stacks invented by Mangeyn. "All of it is homemade," he says.

Some of the food served at the restaurant isn't even on the menu, Mangeyn says, because the restaurant is very flexible.

"We're not that crowded during lunch, but I recommend that people make reservations for dinner," Mangeyn says.

A former bass player in Russia, Mangeyn entered the restaurant business when he moved to the United States 18 years ago. He says he went from a risky career as a musician to an even riskier one.

"I don't suggest the restaurant business to anyone," he says. "It is a very hard business ... but it is my field, my specialty. I've been in it since day one when I got to the United States."

Mangeyn operates Sochi Cafe and Grill with his family--his daughter, wife, sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

"There are few Russian places around in practically the whole Bay Area," he says. "This is the center of much of the South Bay, and many Russians live around here."

Many of the customers are from Russia or former Soviet states, Mangeyn says. He says he serves about 100 people a week.

"Americans come to the restaurant sometimes, but they don't really know our food," he says. "We aren't like Chinese food or Mexican food yet."

The restaurant hosts private parties, caters and delivers, Mangeyn says. Nearby businessmen sometimes eat at the restaurant, which depends on word of mouth to attract more patrons.

"We're a relatively young restaurant," Mangeyn says. "We have lots of parking, and we're in a good place, so business will probably get better."

Sochi Cafe and Grill is located at 20956 Homestead Road in Cupertino. It is open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 366-1367.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 19, 1998.
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