Mari Vanna — Restaurant in New York

TLDR: Great food, welcoming staff, homely atmosphere. Lunch was $190 for two, including gratuity. 4.5/5 rating.

My dad and I came here for lunch. There's a front dining area facing the street, plus a more secluded room in the back. We sat in the front, and because the weather was nice, the wall-to-wall front window was open. This gave the feel of a covered terrace, which we liked.

The decoration is homely but elegant, featuring lace curtains and doilies and crisp white tablecloths. There are knick-knacks and photos. It has the feel of a well-kept home in which we are guests having dinner.

We ordered three appetizers. First were the cherry vareniki, which were the best fruit pierogi I've ever had, and were by far my favorite dish. While each piece was small, they had a strong flavor, and the sour cream paired perfectly.

Our second appetizer was bone marrow. We received two long bone pieces filled with marrow, with one topped with peppers and capers. My dad said it was his favorite dish. He liked that we were given the proper cutlery for it (very small spoons to scoop out the marrow), and that there were capers and some sort of radish-based sauce to cut the fat.

Our last appetizer was the Ajarski-style cheese pie, an eye-shaped bread bowl filled with egg and cheese, with an egg yolk on top. It would have been great with sour cream to cut the fattiness and denseness of the cheese, and I would have preferred the bread to be a bit crispier at the points for some textural contrast; with the egg and cheese in the middle being soft, the bread also being very soft meant there wasn't much contrast. The whole thing was still delicious, though.

For our mains, we ordered the khinkali and the duck pie. The khinkali, which are filled pork and beef dumplings, had lots of black pepper on top, which I liked. I found the filling to be good, nothing out of this world, and admittedly, the khinkali looked slightly deflated. The dish was tasty, but compared to the other dishes, perhaps a tad weaker.

The duck pie featured duck, carrots, some other veggies (I couldn't quite make them out), and mashed parsnips, and was simply incredible. Absolute winner. There was a crispy layer on top which gave a wonderful crunch, the mashed parsnips were amazingly creamy, and the carrots and duck were soft and tender. This is what I call food for the soul. It tastes like coming home even if you've never had it before. Hearty, homely, delicious. This was both my and my dad's second favorite dish.

We ordered a Napoleon dessert to share. This had crispy flaky layers of puff pastry, with a lovely vanilla custard between the layers. It's quite big, so I'd recommend this as a sharing dish.

Overall, the food was top-notch, some of the best my dad and I have had in a very long time. The tables were rather small for our liking, but that seems to be the case with most NYC restaurants we've been to. Atmosphere-wise, it's fairly casual. I'd describe it as welcoming, rustic, homely, and family-oriented. It's better for bringing your in-laws than corporate clients.

Some miscellaneous thoughts: I appreciate that on top of the lap napkins, the tables also have tissues. Most places don't offer both, even though it's inconvenient to wipe your mouth or hands using the lap napkin.

There were occasions where we had to ask for our water to be filled up, but usually, our glasses were filled quickly when empty or nearly so. The staff were all kind and friendly and happily accommodated us asking for paper menus over the provided QR ones.

One thing my dad noted was that we weren't asked about allergies, or if we were, we didn't hear and obviously didn't respond. Obviously, you can tell the staff yourself, but I think it's just generally good practice to ask. Luckily, we were able to easily avoid my dad's allergy, so that was fine.

Overall, I'd highly recommend coming here. The food was truly delicious, especially the cherry vareniki and the duck pie. The service was warm and friendly and the food came...

Navigating through New York's busy streets, you may find it hard to believe that a serene space reminiscent of a cozy Russian grandmother's living room awaits you right in the city's core. However, this is the exact ambiance that Mari Vanna, located near President Teddy Roosevelt's historic birthplace in Flatiron, New York City, effortlessly creates for its guests.

The ambiance is the first thing that hits you upon entering Mari Vanna. The walls adorned with vintage prints, porcelain knick-knacks lining the shelves, and lace curtains fluttering in the windows make you feel like you've been transported straight to the rustic heart of Russia. The warm, inviting lighting and cozy seating arrangements only accentuate this sensation. This setting, I must mention, significantly contributed to the overall enjoyment of the food.

As a foodie, my first duty was to delve into their Borsht. This beetroot soup is the cornerstone of Russian cuisine and a dish I was eager to explore. A gorgeous ruby red soup arrived at our table piping hot with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. It was a perfect blend of sweet and sour, the earthy beetroot shining through with the sour cream adding a creamy tang that rounded off the flavors beautifully. The hearty chunks of beetroot and cabbage brought a nice texture to the overall dish, making it a perfect start to the meal.

Next up was the Veal Pelmeni, Russian dumplings filled with minced veal. Each dumpling was carefully crafted, the dough just the right thickness to envelope the juicy, flavor-packed veal filling. They were served traditionally with a generous smear of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill. The veal was tender and flavorful, melding wonderfully with the sour cream's slight tanginess and the dill's freshness. This dish was comfort food at its best, a sentiment that resonated among all my dining companions.

Pirozhki, small Russian pastries filled with a variety of ingredients, were next. The pastry was incredibly flaky and light, contrasting brilliantly with the hearty, savory fillings of meat and cabbage. Each bite was a delightful surprise and left us eagerly reaching for more.

A visit to a Russian restaurant wouldn't be complete without sampling some of their vodkas, and Mari Vanna didn't disappoint in this aspect either. They offer a varied assortment of flavored vodkas, which I found to be a delightful palate cleanser between courses. The star among these was the horseradish-infused vodka, which packed a real punch and perfectly complemented our meal's rich flavors.

Service at Mari Vanna was also top-notch. Our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and very friendly. The food arrived at our table promptly, and each dish was presented beautifully.

Regarding areas for improvement, I would have loved a little more variety in the vegetarian options. While the Borsht and some Pirozhkis catered to non-meat eaters, a few more dishes would significantly enhance the dining experience for vegetarians.

Mari Vanna is a gem tucked away in the bustling city, offering a nostalgic trip to Russia. While hearty and delicious, the charming and cozy ambiance elevates the food. It's a delightful place to relax, enjoy excellent food, and feel a bit of the Russian spirit. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a unique dining experience...

Came here for dinner on a weekday. The place was not super busy but I think reservations are better to be made or else you will be eating under a time constraint. Decor is super typical Russian, straight to USSR time. The waiters and waitresses all dressed to the place, and the dinnerware were all in same style.

My friend said the menu has a bit more Ukrainian influences but I have no reference. We ordered majorly appetizers.

Cherry Vareniki: the cherry dumplings perfectly made as my Russian reference friend said. Each dumpling contains a piece of cherry, mostly sweet and some are tart. The fruity fillings are enclosed with a slippery dumpling sheet and you eat it with the paired sour cream. With the popping of the cherry inside, you get the tartness and the sweetness and the creaminess blended with the smooth texture of dumpling.

Borscht: the beet soup with beef cheek. The beef is tender and stringy, and the soup of full of aroma from the beet. When you melt the sour cream inside the borscht, the cream makes the soup less tangy and more harmonic to my palate. I soaked my rye bread (one of the healthiest bread in my opinion, so healthy that it is so heavy to eat) in the borscht to help breaking down some rye and added some moisture. The bread doesn’t absorb so much borscht flavor but it is a great combo.

Herring under the fur coat: one of the favorite things to eat now. I hate herring before because when not cooked properly, the herrings can be super oily and fishy. But the carrots and the beets balance well with the herring and with the creamy potato and mayo and egg. Instead of getting the fishy flavor, you get umami from the fish: I can eat this all day.

Blinis with beef: if I know crepes were this good when paired with meat I should do it sonner. The blinis were folded perfectly into squares with lots and lots of beef. The texture is almost cheesy, so creamy and meaty and indulging. The blinis itself was buttery and smooth, and when I topped with sour cream, it added a bit of tangy. The leaves paired on top were bitter, helped to cut down the over saturation of the fat heaven I am in.

Potatoes with mushroom and onion: nothing can go wrong with caramelized onions and butter sautéed mushroom and potatoes (previously roasted I think). We ordered this because my friend was vegetarian but this classic dish was way better than expected. The garlic, dill, butter, and salt really came through. I especially dig the onions.

Didn’t get to try their beef stroganoff and napoleon cake but I am sure I will be back soon sometime. So far no dish has...