"Souvenir" Russian Restaurant in Barcelona

A while ago, a new Russian restaurant opened up in Barcelona called "Souvenir". It is located in the Eixample district on Calle Valencia 232. Hubs had been there with his colleagues and said it was really good. Waking up Sunday, we wanted Pancakes but couldn't be bothered to make them so we decided to go have lunch there. 

The restaurant is very cosy with the interior adapted to fit the Russian theme with pictures of birch trees, handmade Russian dolls and of course Matryoshkas on display. It has quite a few tables for having your meals, a couch area where you can hang out if you'd just like to have a smoothie or coffee, and a kids section to keep your little ones busy with some toys. The waitress is very pleasant and will help with whatever questions you have. The food ranges from first course selections such as Russian salad, Borsh and Solyanka to stuffed peppers, Golubtsy, Vareniki and Ravioli for your main course. If you can still eat anything afterwards, I would definitely recommend the pancakes, Napoleon cake or Syrniki.

The food is so amazing, I felt like I was back in Latvia or at home with my mum. I had Solyanka which is a salty traditional Russian soup. It is made of thinly sliced ham, sausages and beef, onions, pickled cucumbers and other vegetables topped with sour cream. My soup came in a nice ceramic little pot which said "люблю веселится, особенно покушать" meaning "I like to have fun, especially to eat". And for dessert I had pancakes with strawberry and blackberry jam which looked great and tasted even better. 

The prices are medium range, at about €25 euros per person for a full course meal (without alcohol). Due to the number of people visiting the restaurant, getting served could take a little while, so be patient because it will all be worth it once you have a taste of your meal. If you'd like to get a spot for sure, give them a call and book a table before going. My expectations were quite high when I got there, and I was definitely not disappointed. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone interested in trying something new. I've already invited my friends from work to visit and I cannot wait to hear what they think.

Have you ever tried Russian cuisine?