You know how sometimes you’re exhausted of Macy’s on a December Saturday, and you’re on your way to pick up pho and taro bubble tea because for some reason your husband wanted Vietnamese cuisine midday?
No?
You know how sometimes you wanna feast on some delicious Russian cuisine, but also, you wanna listen to live blues or classical music while you eat it?
No?
Well then there’s nothing here for you.
I was tired of the shopping, as I was born tired of shopping, and I was a lil bit hangry and I was drivin to pho when I saw this place. It’s in one of the strips in the mall parking lot. (Where pho is, but not, because I can’t find pho unless I’m ON 82nd Street, because people were all “It’s 1986! Let’s make the buildings all look the same!”)
Anyway, this place fits a real specific niche.
That caught my attention. I was doin a drive-by, cause I knew y’all wanted to see this, but I didn’t wanna get out of the car AGAIN.
As I crept up on the door, a man came out and introduced himself as Chad. He had long hair and wore a fancy yarmulke, so I wasn’t expecting him to be a Chad. Chad told me he appreciated my promotion, and he was glad I liked the door.
He said sometime, I need to come in and eat.
“Will do,” I said, only half meaning it. You know, in that introvert comfort creature kinda way — if i ever wanna try something new, and if i feel like putting on pants and a bra and shoes and if i’ve got enough energy to leap into public spaces with live music, i will certainly keep your place in mind.
I looked it up online. Rave reviews for the food and the hospitality. Menu got me like Oh Yes, Thanks!
So yes, Chad, I will actually come in and eat. Perhaps on date night.
That’s the thing about doors, we always wanna know what’s behind them.
#ThursdayDoors is part of an inspired post series run by Norm Frampton. To see other doors of interest, or to share your own, click the link and find the frog.
joeyfullystated 
I don’t think I have ever seen a restaurant that advertises Russian food. Let us know how date night goes there, Joey. Tell Chad I said, “Hi.”
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Will do 🙂
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It does look like a really interesting place to go!
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I agree!
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Ditto me as regards, “what’s Russian food like?” Do let us know if and when bras and stars align.
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Surely you have eaten some Russian types of food? Chicken Kiev? Cabbage rolls? Dumplings? No?
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Nope to the Kiev, but yup to cabbage rolls and dumplings – but of a German persuasion – I suppose there’s not a whole lot of difference, when you think about it, eh? Borscht I have not done, and don’t think I could.
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Oh Good! I have had good and bad on the borscht and won’t be dabbling. Mud has a way of ruining the rest of a meal.
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LOL! Great start to my morning, m’dear! Cheers.
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😀
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Oh, so curious about the menu, all I understand is Borscht, but not a huge fan. Please explore more. Inquiring minds want to know !!!
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I will happily explore 🙂
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Add me to the list of folks interested in learning more about the menu. Shopping can be tiring. Forget “can be” shopping is tiring. Thanks for the drive by. Inquiring minds and all of that. BTW, loved the comment on the lack of imagination in the 80s with respect to building (although I’d expand that to much more).
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Also, why all the buildings were brown?!? You know what color they paint all those now? Gray. I can’t even. Anyway, yeah, not a fan. But Imma check out the restaurant 😛
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The strip mall in our town is brown. Renovated in the 80s 😦
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Oh yeah.
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So I was too curious – I had to go look at the menu myself. In all honesty Russian food would be a mystery to me as well. I mean aside from borscht, potatoes, cabbage, caviar and vodka… 😉
I have to say, after looking at the menu I would give this place a try. Please keep us posted when you go back and please tell Chad he’s got a nice door 😀
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Yeah, the menu definitely looks good, and the reviews are great, so Imma check it out, and I’ll be sure to pass on the good wishes of our #ThursdayDoors group!
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Sounds like an interesting and fun place! Great find!
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I think so too! Date night 🙂
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Mmm. Borscht. Vodka. What more does a body need in winter?
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Hold the borscht, but I’ll take an extra serving of vodka though 😉
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Date night for sure. Chad sounds like he’s good for at least an appetizer comp.
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Haha! Date night! 🙂
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Was he a hanging Chad? 🙂 Ha! A little non-nasty political humor is always good, I think. Anyhoo, I vote for pho/Vietnamese food/bubble tea. But Russian at another time would be good, too.
janet
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Hah. Pho last weekend — and Chinese, too… But Russian this weekend, me thinks 🙂
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Sounds like my kind of place! Classical music and borscht. Can’t beat that.
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I’ll let you know 🙂
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oh indeed we do want to always know what is behind them and what a nice encounter.
and it does seem to fit a specific niche – the signs on the glass say dine-in – live jazz… parities…. and take out – that sums it up.
and speaking of atypical names – Gregory’s doesn’t feel russian – but I heard people sometimes pick a more American name for ease. For example, I knew a guy with a soft Indian accent. Months after I knew him as Nick – he shared is real name – which was something like Nadihiri – and he said he did not mind going by Nick – not just for ease – but made him feel fitting in.
and I feel kind in the know with the Pho being pronounced fuh (something like that – right?)
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Yes, pho is fuh. Yep. Although the place we go to is called Pho Tasty, and you’d think the whole pronunciation thing would make it less appealing, but no P I’m just glad The Mister has finally found something yummy on their menu!
We will definitely check out the Russian place 🙂
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haha
glad the M has found something he likes –
and last summer my mother and I stopped by at a local place for Pho food – was there two years ago and it rocked – but this time – the parking lot was overgrown in the cracks and inside felt rundown. we walked out – and we were starved. such a tease.
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Ugh! How frustrating!
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Joey, ya never know until you try something if you like it or not. 😉 Awesome door! 🙂
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Oh Imma like it 🙂
The food I’m sure about, the music, well, I’m persnickety about live music 😉
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Great door! It’s always fun to stumble upon something new and interesting…that actually strikes your fancy. The menu looks intriguing. I hope you have a wonderful future date night there!
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Thanks, Amy! Me too 🙂
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Love it! And Russian food? YES.
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Yes! From this post, I’ve gathered a lot of people eat Russian food without knowing it’s Russian. Nom nom! 😛 Thanks!
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We have a Ukrainian restaurant here and we haven’t tried it yet, worrying about the gluten problem. I’m kind of dying to go though . . .
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Well yeah, I understand your back-and-forth on it. Nom noms vs consideration of husband.
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Yup. After the holidays, I’m going to go myself if he can’t. haha
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Good! I dunno when we’ll get there, but the night will come and we shall NOM!
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Yes, SHALL.
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Chad’s place looks like it’s got it going on. What a fun find. Now all that’s left to do is override your introvert setting, and go check out the food.
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Will do! Date night nears 😛
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I think you should say hi to Chad from all of us 🙂
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Yes, I will 😀
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Plan ta chow down on some Roosky vittles? I wonder what they eat.
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YES! Cabbage rolls? Chicken Kiev? Latkes? Dumplings? Surely you’ve eaten some of these things?
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You’re right. I grew up in a very ethnic-food area. Polish, Slovak, Italian, Irish, and I forgot about the Russians. We even had a big Russian Orthodox Church right next to the Catholic-Slovak church. It’s been so long. I forgot.
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I knew it! 😀
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I would like to check this place out but it only has dinner service; and I don’t do nights. Let me know how it is if you and the Mister go there. Do you remember Moscow Nights? Or was that before your time?
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Moscow Nights, the music? Or White Nights, the movie? Otherwise, I’m out. I’ll let you know. We may get there this weekend, depending. See, we’re prone to large midday meals on weekends…
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It was before your time. Moscow Nights was a restaurant. It was off Michigan Road and 82nd street. It featured Russian food. We need more eastern European joints in town.
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Ah! Well then yes, totally before my time. I agree, OR, maybe we need more advertisement. Little gems here and there… word of mouth and location dependent…
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I think it closed in 94. It was a pretty popular place, and it was 86th st not 82nd.
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Ah, that would’ve been my Ball State/Muncie/ Downtown/Greenwood time in life. Sorry I missed it.
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Sounds like an interesting place. I would show up just to check out the music once.
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I might have many doors but you have Gregory’s with the violin key. You don’t call it that, don’t you, violin key. It’s a proper pull in: they mean it when they say come in.
Your introvert talk remembered me that I sort of agreed to go to a get-together of a fb translator’s group where I don’t know a single person (!), it’s in my old home town where I’m about to go for
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Well! That’s impolite. I was far from finished, laptop! Let me continue: …where I’m about to go for 10 days, they promise karaoke (!!), and it’s BYOB. Does everybody know what this means apart from me?? This just shows that the last time I partied was pre-acronym. Ah. well… have a merry December as well. Looking forward to the account from Gregory’s.
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BYOB = Bring Your Own Booze. You go, girl!
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Hehe, thanks, Marian. I just might. And I thought it was Beer!
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BYOB is as Marian said 🙂 I don’t think it’s an age thing,as people said this even when I was a kid, but it seems very American. Also, MYOB is Mind Your Own Business, but that’s unrelated to partying.
I hope you go and have a great time!
Chad didn’t want me to come in right then, as it was only about 3, and they don’t open until 5pm. We’re trying to figure out when to go…Such a busy time of year with the kidlets.
Violin key? Nope, now you teach me that one. Violins are not played here — cello, viola, guitar, ukulele, bass, but no violins 😛
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Thanks, Joey. I meant we call the violin key that symbol on the Russian restaurant. 🙂 For the “G”. And I thought BYOB had to do with boobs
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AHAHAHA! Boobs! HAHA! Yes, do take the boobs, boobs make any party better!
We call violin key “treble clef” 🙂
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Have them with me at all times. 😀 😀
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😀 I’m still giggling!
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Oh, I would be in Gregory’s in a heartbeat! #4 Daughter spent a month in St.Petersburg one summer as part of her archeology studies, and she said Russian food is a-MAZ-ing. I just looked at the menu. I would have one of everything!
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Yes! What a lovely trip to take! How lucky #4 was!
We’re going to have to go at least three times to try all the things that sound good, while also getting what we know is yummy! I will report back after, I promise.
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