The Observer Newspapers |Russia House Serves Authentic Cuisine

May 1, 2008

Russia House Serves Authentic Cuisine

Russia House is a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of Herndon that serves authentic Russian food. Chef Dimitri Freedman, who is Belgian, presides over the kitchen, and owners Ali and Homeyra Darugar staff the front of the restaurant. The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and meals are less expensive ($14 to $23 for entrees) during the lunch service. Dinner is served Tuesday through Friday from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Prices for dinner entrees start at $20 and go to a high of $31 for a one-person serving, but portions are very large.

Chateaubriand for two is priced at $71, but contains 24 to 26 ounces of filet and includes seven fresh vegetables. The other savory dish that is served for two is the Caesar salad, which costs $20 at lunch and dinner. It is mixed tableside and includes all the original ingredients, including egg yolks, whole anchovies, romaine lettuce, croutons and shaved parmesan. The preparation is impressive, as is the salad.

Appetizers are interesting and include five caviars, from salmon roe to the finest Russian Ossetra and Beluga. The more expensive caviars range from $90 to $100, but most appetizers are priced at $11. I really liked the pirozhki, puff pastries stuffed with meat, cheese and cabbage (sauerkraut). The three very short pastries contain lots of butter.

They also serve steak tartar as an entrée, lamb shashlyk, rack of lamb and duck breast, as well as chicken Kiev and beef Stroganoff.

They bake their dinner rolls to order, as they do everything, and the rolls are served from a napkin-lined basket with silver tongs onto the bread plate. Four salads, priced from $8 to $20, are available, and there are also four vegetarian dishes, served with rice or pasta, for $14.

The stuffed cabbage is very dense because it contains very little rice and is made from the filet of beef, which has little fat. The dish has an interesting sweet and sour taste and is made with a strong but delicious amount of tomato sauce. The sautéed filet of rainbow trout with artichoke hearts and capers is perhaps the freshest fish I have ever eaten that was not served at a dockside restaurant. The chicken Kiev is a lovely entrée, stuffed with herbed butter, pan-fried and topped with a butter tarragon sauce. Seven vegetables are beautifully arranged around the chicken, which is placed on a bed of rice.

Alcoholic beverages are numerous and include wine, sparkling wine, vodka and cocktails. Some of the vodkas are name brands, and some flavored vodkas are infused at the restaurant.

I would not recommend taking children to this beautiful restaurant, unless they are older or very interested in food. Some well-traveled children also might appreciate this cuisine. Parking is available and free.

Fine dining restaurants are thought of in terms of tablecloths and high prices. The real meaning of fine dining involves attention to detail, the quality and freshness of the food, and exceptional service. All plates here are artfully arranged and prepared to order. The food arrives extremely hot and is a feast for the eye, as well as the body.

This restaurant would be a lovely choice for a special dinner or even an occasional lunch. I will be adding it to my personal list of restaurants offering food that is a bargain when the quality of the ingredients, the quality of the service and the skills of the chef are considered.