Kachka - Review - Buckman - Portland, OR - The Infatuation

"There are a few things you can count on when you eat at Kachka: the room will be lively, a silly amount of vodka will get passed around, and you’ll become a lover of Belarusian food even if you didn’t know your salat from your shila plavi before. This Southeast spot is a great place for groups, so you can order the ruskie zakuski experience (full table participation is required), a bountiful selection of cold apps like smoked fish and little things on toast, ideally paired with a variety of infused vodkas—including birch, sea buckthorn, and matsutake—that are perfect for taking shots with the table next to you. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Siberian Pelmeni Pelemeni filled with beef, pork, veal, and onion grace every table for good reason. These seemingly simple dumplings have outsize flavor, thanks to the luscious butter and vinegar they’re bathing in. Herring Under A Fur Coat Kachka’s signature and fancifully named starter is a Russian seven-layer dip. It’s a pickled, creamy rainbow of herring, potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and eggs bound by mayo. This would be a hit displayed at any party spread. Rabbit In A Clay Pot This menu stalwart features rabbit hindquarters braised with sour cherries, porcinis, and smetana, a Slavic sour cream. The dish arrives at your table in a handsome earthenware crock with potato pancakes on the side for soaking up all of that tart, creamy sauce." - Krista Garcia