Irina Russian Restaurant

[hanno]

Irina Russian Restaurant
House 15C St 450, Phnom Penh
Monday to Sunday from 02:00 – 23:00
Tel: 011 324 550
Link: https://www.facebook.com/irinarestpp/

Food: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Value for money: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3/5 (4 without the asthmatic dog)

Apparently, this restaurant has been around since 1999, serving Russian cuisine. I am no particular fan, or connoisseur, of Russian cuisine and must admit not knowing much about it. We just wanted to try something a little different.



The restaurant has both an outside and indoor seating area. We opted to sit outside as it was a pleasant evening. Whilst we waited for the menu, we were wondering about the loud, weird noises emitting from the restaurant. It took us a while, but it turned to be out a grossly overweight pug. I love dogs, though not pugs, but having a dog that sounds like it will croak any second next to our table (where it moved eventually) was a little off.

The owner gave us the menu with a fair number of dishes. I did not manage to take decent photos as it was too dark, but it has all the, what I presume, are the classics: Borscht, Olivier Salad, Pelmeni, Vareniki, Beef Stroganoff and more.


Under all that onion was some good pickled Herring.

We ended up ordering Selyodka, or pickled Herring, as a starter at $5.50. This was followed by Bacon Vareniki ($6.50), Pork Pelmeni ($5.50), Beef Stroganoff ($10.50) and Beefshtek ($8.50). We did actually want the Pelmeni with Salmon, but they were out, as was anything with lamb. We did not really click with the owner and just stuck with the free water instead of ordering drinks, but I think beers and juices were between $1.50 and $2.50.


The Pelmeni were one of the better dishes.

Food started arriving less than 10 minutes after we ordered, kicking off with the Selyodka. Very reminiscent of German “Rollmops” and very nice. The rest of the family did not like it much, which meant more for me.


The Vereniki were not all that great.

After this, it was on to the dumplings. The Pelmeni were very nice but Russian cuisine does seem to lack any spices, some chili sauce would have come in handy The Vareniki on the other hand were pretty much tasteless, the mountain of fried onions could not hide the fact.


The Beef Stroganoff was way too tough.

The Missus had ordered the Beef Stroganoff, and this turned out to be the worst dish of the evening. Whilst the mashed potatoes and the sauce were OK, the meat was awful, tough as leather and with lots of gristle. I understand that expecting imported filet tips might be a little much but, at $10.50, I expected a lot better than that. The stale bread that came with it did not help.


Beefshtek. OK, any kind of sauce would have been a vast improvement.

My Beefshtek was OK. Basically, minced beef patties that again could have used a heavier hand on some spices. By this time, the wheezing pug was really getting on our nerves and we paid and headed out.

I understand that Russian food is not exactly one of the top-rated cuisines in the world, and I can see why. Some of the food was good, just way too bland for all of us. It is unlikely that we will head across town again any time soon for another dose of Russian food.



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[Jkcliche]

Jeezus... looking at the pictures, I think the Pug was your guardian angel trying to warn you away from culinary hell. Most of it looks downright depressing, but the 'best dish' looks like a bowlful of bollox.

Praise the Pug.

[YaTingPom]

No desire to eat anything from Russia, and nothing to do with Ukraine just does not appeal to me.

(Yes, I have had Russian women, still, no thanks. They look hot but are utterly mental.)

Edited.
I met this one Russian chick in Thailand in the 90s. I was only interested in Asian girls but she insisted. Olga was her name. Anyhoo, I stayed at her place and the next morning I was looking for a toothbrush and I found a gun in the bathroom dresser. No idea was type as it just freaked me out.

I think she was some kind of assassin or spy.

[Freightdog]

Yeah, Russian girls do seem to have a few screws loose.

Recent efforts down this end of the Phnom Penh metroplex at aging beef a while after purchase have come up trumps.
I have had some very nice beef based dishes around the country that were ultimately let down only by the resistance to mastication of the meat.
A good (Khmer) friend was taken aback by idea of leaving beef in the fridge for several days before consumption.

[John Bingham]

Apparently, this restaurant has been around since 1999, serving Russian cuisine.

It started up as a restaurant/ canteen in the Russian Federation Embassy on Sothearous Blvd. After that it moved many times but was on street 29 off Sihanouk Blvd for many years.

[hanno]

Apparently, this restaurant has been around since 1999, serving Russian cuisine.

It started up as a restaurant/ canteen in the Russian Federation Embassy on Sothearous Blvd. After that it moved many times but was on street 29 off Sihanouk Blvd for many years.

Canteen sounds about right...

[hanno]

Edit: opening hours are from 12:00 - 23:00.

[angkorjohn2]

I'm interested to know sir, why you gave it, from the review, 3/5 for food seems most dishes, whilst not unpleasant weren't great . Seems more like a 2/5.

Assuming 5/5 is the best of the type of cuisine served, 4/5 damn tasty but not flawless, 3/5 not bad could be better. 2/5 below average saved by a couple of dishes 1/5 really not good at all. 0/5 dreadful.

Interested about your scoring.

Best
John

[hanno]

I'm interested to know sir, why you gave it, from the review, 3/5 for food seems most dishes, whilst not unpleasant weren't great . Seems more like a 2/5.

Assuming 5/5 is the best of the type of cuisine served, 4/5 damn tasty but not flawless, 3/5 not bad could be better. 2/5 below average saved by a couple of dishes 1/5 really not good at all. 0/5 dreadful.

Interested about your scoring.

Best
John

Because I am a nice guy . The herring and Pelini were quite good, the Beefshtek and Vereniki OK, the Stroganoff subpar. However, my understanding is that the dishes do actually taste like they are meant to taste, so credit for that.

[angkorjohn2]

I'm interested to know sir, why you gave it, from the review, 3/5 for food seems most dishes, whilst not unpleasant weren't great . Seems more like a 2/5.

Assuming 5/5 is the best of the type of cuisine served, 4/5 damn tasty but not flawless, 3/5 not bad could be better. 2/5 below average saved by a couple of dishes 1/5 really not good at all. 0/5 dreadful.

Interested about your scoring.

Best
John

Because I am a nice guy . The herring and Pelini were quite good, the Beefshtek and Vereniki OK, the Stroganoff subpar. However, my understanding is that the dishes do actually taste like they are meant to taste, so credit for that.

Thank you for the reply Hanno, so good for the Russians nobody else.

I did go a long time ago, 2014 with a Russian friend and found it about 3/5 as well