Tony L.
Google
Hey, what’s up? There’s a tasty Ukrainian restaurant in Crouch Hill
The word “Sho" (шо) in Ukrainian is a very common, informal, and colloquial term that means "what".
And WHAT a great name for this cosy-looking family-run restaurant residing in 30 Crouch Hill, London N4 4AU, which has been running for a year.
The menu is what you would expect and at very reasonable prices. Take your pick from traditional Ukrainian/Crimean fare, with a Georgian dish thrown into the mix.
Both me and my wife opted for a Borscht Adventure - made from beetroots with bits of beef. The tasty sweet and sour soup was served with spring onions, salo (cured pork fatback), smetana (sour cream) and slices of rye bread.
The dish has been hotly disputed by its neighbours but in 2022 was designated Ukraine’s national dish by UNESCO - so give it a try!
Borscht can come in many forms, representing different regions of Ukraine, but this one had the distinct and familiar taste of Ivano-Frankivsk, in western Ukraine.
Having wiped the dish clean, we went for varenyky, dumplings with a cottage cheese filling, dill, and smetana side.
It would be politically incorrect for me to say that these varenyky were better than the one’s my mother or my wife makes at home, but let’s be diplomatic and say they were very highly rated and a second serving would not have gone amiss.
There was only a little space left in this kozak’s tummy for a dessert. So I shared my Kyiv Cake or Kyivskyi Tort with my wife.
For those not familiar with this cake, it consists of a crispy, airy hazelnut or cashew meringue, layered with rich, sweet buttercream and chocolate glaze.
Was it yum? A definite yes. And it was washed down by a non-alcoholic Mojito. My wife went for an Uzvar, a dried fruits drink, which had an interesting smokey bacon-like taste to it. Normally served at Christmas, but can be drunk all year round.
The service by Khrystyna was impeccable. The decor was nice, but did not overtly scream too much Ukrainian.
Definitely a five star rating and only a 15-minute walk from Finsbury Park Station.
