FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE?

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I used to pass this place quite often when I was heading to the barbers and was intrigued as I hadn’t seen any other Russian restaurants in Glasgow. Having looked at the menu a few times online I was curious but not quite convinced it was for me. When I happened across a Groupon deal for 2 courses and a shot of vodka I thought what the hell and took the plunge.

For those looking, you’ll find Cossachok just off Argyle Street at the Trongate end. They do traditional Russian food in a quirky restaurant decorated with red walls, Russian shawls on the roof and artwork on the walls. The menu is simple and traditional offering a range of dishes from Russia and it’s neighbouring countries such as Georgia and Bulgaria.

When I first arrived at Cossachok I was optimistic. I liked the quirky interior with the shawls on the roof and the chilled out music playing in the background. When we got the menu my optimism grew, I was pleasantly surprised with the choice given that it was a Groupon deal and was excited to try something new and different.

To try and make the most of the opportunity to sample the menu we ordered 2 different starters and mains to share. We ordered the Borscht and Meat Platter to start and the Moscow Blintzes and the Lulya Kebab for mains.

As the starters arrived at the table my optimism began to dwindle. I wasn’t sure what to make of the Borscht as a bowl of purple soup was placed in front of me alongside the meat platter. The starters were a bit of a mixed bag and I actually enjoyed the soup a lot more than I anticipated. The meat platter on the other hand was disappointing to say the least.

Both of the dishes were served with a slice of rye bread that I wasn’t too keen on in all honesty and didn’t do much to enhance the dishes. The other accompaniment with the Borscht was sour cream, now this did enhance the soup. It took a very basic dish and gave it something different which was the experience I came looking for.

If the Borscht was pleasantly surprising then the meat platter was surprisingly bad. This was my ‘safe’ choice as a starter but the “selection of Russian meats” promised on the menu was 6 slices of the same meat that wasn’t discernibly different from a packet of cooked meat from the supermarket. The pickled vegetables were also pretty lacking in variety although I did enjoy the pickled carrot.

Next up was the mains and I was trying to remain optimistic and hoping I’d be surprised like I was with the Borscht. Both dishes were served with a salad on the side which looked less than appetising and the less said about it the better in all honesty.

First up was the Lulya Kebab, a Georgian style lamb dish served with a tomato and herb sauce and roast potatoes. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. In fact the best word to describe it would be average, the lamb was OK, the potatoes were OK and the sauce was fine but it was all just a little bland.

Next up was the Moscow Blintzes, pancakes stuffed with turkey mince and rice and served with a creamy spinach sauce. This dish was a mixed bag in itself, the pancake and the creamy spinach sauce were enjoyable but the filling was very dry and stodgy which was disappointing.

Overall I left with a feeling of disappointment from Cossachok. Though some dishes and parts of the dishes surprised me, the overwhelming feeling was that it was just lacking something. The Groupon deal I got was £19 (50% discount and I also never received the shot of vodka that came with it) and even that seemed overpriced.

I think it’s safe to say I won’t be rushing back to Cossachok which is a shame as I’d been excited to try it and experience a new cuisine but it just didn’t do it for me.

 

COSSACHOK REVIEW

Food: 3/5

Atmosphere: 3/5

Value for Money: 2/5

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