Portland Penny Diner Russian Pop Up – celebrate Russian Sun Festival

Disclosure: I was invited to the Blini and Vodka Pop-up event on Friday so the blinis and my vodka infusion were complimentary, but I paid for the piroshkis earlier in the week and the other cocktails at the Russian Pop Up on my own. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

I was really excited when I saw a press release sharing that Chef Vitaly Paley was getting into the spirit of the Russian Sun Festival, also known as Maslenitsa, as well as the end of the winter Olympics in Sochi. When I lived in Chicago, one of my favorite restaurants was Russian Tea Time– it was one of the first restaurants I enjoyed with my new found freedom as a college student now able to make my own dining adventures in Chicago. I fell in love with pelmeni, vareniky, beet caviar, tashkent carrot, salmon crepes (my first try at caviar), Russian herring and drank bottom glasses of russian tea. I realize that since moving to Portland, I haven’t had any russian food at all. Thankfully, chef Paley was about to end the drought.

This pop up is becoming part of a series it turns out: check out this story at Portland Monthly on the new Russian pop-up series DaNet!

The celebration was being held via special menu items at both Portland Penny Diner and Imperial.

Piroshkis for Lunch at Portland Penny Diner

First, all this week from Feb 24-28, Portland Penny diner has been offering different piroshkis for lunch. They were $4, and were announced to feature flavors such as potato, onion and rosemary, cabbage and smoked ham hock, chicken liver and mushrooms, and beef short ribs and caramelized onions. After a long dentist appointment on Tuesday, I was able to drop by, which I usually can’t given my work is in Beaverton and PP usually is closed when I get downtown. I ordered both piroshkis of the day, and though the cabbage and potato one was fine, really enjoyed the mushroom and duck liver piroshky. Next door for dessert, Imperial served stuffed blintzes but I wasn’t able to make it.

Russian Pop up – Blini Bar and Vodka Bar at Portland Penny Diner

Then, this past Friday night from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.was a pop-up blini bar with live Russian folk music, courtesy accordion player Leonid Nosov and singer Anna Kazakova (get a little taste of the music thanks to BroussardComm’s little Instagram video here).

For only $15, Portland Penny Diner and Imperial crafted a blini bar buffet with traditional and non-traditional toppings. Offerings included blinis and potato pancakes that you could then top with jams and sour cream, homemade Steelhead caviar (check out Chef Paley’s Instagram proof right here!), Steelhead pastrami, sour pickles, fire roasted and marinated mushrooms, pickled herring, smoked mackerel salad, Chef Paley’s grandma’s fish under carrot marinade and beet pkhali, and other zakuskis (Russian drinking snacks).

I was slightly embarrassed when Chef Paley caught how full my plate was- but I really did get a little bit of everything, and I loved it all! My plate was completely bare at the end! Fortunately, he complimented me on how colorful my plate is, and even took a photo, so phew.

Now it was time for a couple more drinks. While I had been eating, I had sipped on some of Bar Manager’s Brandon Wise’s Infused vodkas. These included like this one with Cucumber, Melon and Spicy Pepper, as well as Apple & Ginger Vodka, Beet & Caraway Vodka, and Radish Thyme Pink Peppercorn Vodka.

It was time to get serious though. I tried out his new Russian cocktails. This first one is the Russian 5 with vodka, lillet blanc, framboise, apricot liqueur, prosecco. Other concoctions he created included the Iron Curtain, with vodka, carpano antica, green chartreuse, bitters and spicy pepper tincture, and also the Red Gazette with brandy, cherry herring, Amaro St. Maria, lemon juice, mulled Pinot Noir syrup and bergamot black tea.

My favorite of the evening I tried was the Ivan Dragos’ Punch with vodka, orange rum, apricot liqueur, allspice dram, tea, prosecco.

It’s not too late though to squeeze in one more celebration tonight of the Russian Sun Festival!

4-Course Russian Dinner at Imperial 
Tonight, Sunday, March 2nd, Imperial’s Russian pop-up week will culminate with a 4-course dinner at Imperial. At $65 per person plus an optional $25 wine pairing, gratuity not included, reservations for the dinner will be available starting at 5pm. Infused vodkas and specialty cocktails will also be available from Bar Manager Brandon Wise. The 4-course menu includes:

• Minute Cured Steelhead Belly, Salad Russe, caviar crème fraiche and dill
• Anya’s Borscht, black bread and garlic
• Goose Confit Stuffed Cabbage, smoked stuffed goose neck and chopped goose liver
• House Ricotta Blintz, huckleberries and almonds

Disclosure: I was invited to the Blini and Vodka Pop-up event on Friday so the blinis and my vodka infusion were complimentary, but I paid for the piroshkis earlier in the week and the other cocktails at the Russian Pop Up on my own. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

This pop up is becoming part of a series it turns out: check out this story at Portland Monthly on the new Russian pop-up series DaNet!