It appears that offering a price fix Groupon/Living Social/etc. is basically their business model.  I can't imagine anyone actually paying full price for the 'four course meal' offered.  It's probably worth the $35 dollars paid to Groupon, but given that you pay tip on and tax on the 'full amount', Stoli  is probably coming out ahead.
I did want to try the place, so I bought the Groupon and took a friend.  I'm jealous to read others received a spinach salad (miniature tomatoes notwithstanding) - the standard salad appears to have now been downgraded to 'small plate of iceberg lettuce, with a few radish slices.'  The soups offered - borsch or mushroom - are really good.  The borsch isn't as good as MY borsch, but I was still pretty impressed with it.  I enjoyed the tilapia as well (teeny tiny slice as it was), and I liked how the fish was adorably decorated with small dancing vegetables (of course, I did note the price fix option only offered as an entrée veggie crepes, chicken and tilapia - basically, the least expensive mains - guess you pay for the presentation).  The final course - crepes! - were quite tasty - so all in all, I did enjoy my meal.  I guess I'm just a bit turned off by the insinuation that customers are getting a good deal through Groupon.  The meal seems to just be worth the Groupon price. They should scrap the Groupon and go with a $20 price fix.
My wife's boss, who loves vodka, came to town. Groupon had a coupon. No brainer, right! We had been here seamlessly for the past three years...save the bread. But, tonight; would be different.
We had a Groupon for four Prix Fixe. The prix fixe ... plastic laminated menu stated spinach salad...etc to start. The boss LOVES that salad. The wait staff arrives and announces ... iceberg replacing spinach salad tonight...not arrugla, freise et al ...ICEBERG the cheapest, most UN-Nourishing lettuce known to man. Â Well, well, well; the wife's husband has egg on his face and we haven't started with the caviar flights. OH Boy, what to do ...Vodka! ... and breathe.
Working through the four courses ... salad minus 2 stars, soup four stars, main courses...meh two stars. Fish course ... barely half a fillet, chicken - these are your choices - skimpy at best, smothered by not-quite cream or butter and mashed? potatoes. Moving right along, the client starts to ask about the vodka tasting spikey, and may we have an ice bucket to keep it chilled. Now, I have the whole chicken ranch on my head. I'm just trying to protect 'local' great merchants and this is going 'south.'
Vodka sets in ... thank whomever, desserts arrive and conversation evolves away from - Why can a successful restauranteur NOT get IT...BE THE BEST, SERVE THE BEST.
You know, I would not say this if I did not invest in so many restaurants.
How many people have had Russian food anyway? I certainly haven't, so for authenticity, your guess is as good as mine (probably better).
The beet salad was OK, the borsch soup was not too heavy, and had lots of nice texture, the chicken straganoff was served on a bed of mashed potatoes and cream, and was a bit too creamy for my taste.
Overall, it was a decent meal, but if not for the Groupon I probably wouldn't consider it worth the money.
here on a sat night, the servers were not too friendly.
We started on a saga of cold soup, dried tilapia and food served to us fresh from the microwave ...In retrospect, the beeps from the microwave before our food came out should have given us a hint..
We were disappointed all through, even the half price groupon was not worth a morsel.
I wish I could give this place four stars, because the food and martinis are really tasty and high quality (confirmed by my Russian roommate, so I guess they're authentic, too).
But, the service is bad -- also authentic, quoth the roommate. Before going to Stoli, I had never in my life been told by a waitress that I was straight up lying to her (when I wasn't). I ordered the larger size of a plate, was brought the smaller, told her I had asked for the larger, and was told "No you did not." If most restaurants subscribe to the "customer is always right" rule, Stoli's mantra is probably more along the lines of "the customer is probably wrong, since they're not Russian, and also rude."
And yet, I would return, for the vareniki and the martinis made with house infused vodka. Also, props to them for the domain name: "www.russian-restaurant-boston.com" is accurate, I guess.
What are people complaining about ????? Â Get over it..this place is warm and cozy on a winter night..the wait staff were all lovely..attentive and by no means overwhelming....we too went on a,groupon...so come on.., 4 courses for 2..$35., more than fair..and, quite good..
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Spinach salad was lovely and well dressed..veggie crepe was INDEED A CREPE.. As in PARIS.. Very light..very light... and the veggies were tasty and well seasoned (I salt salt and I didn't reach for the shaker....). Â
Look, you are not at the RTR (Russian tea room ) in NY..and you are not in st Petersburg..it's Brookline...stoli  doesn't pretend to be what isn't....it's a great find of a neighborhood place..with good food, good vodka and good,people..we would go again and even without a Groupon..so, give an independent business  a try..,they deserve it..you will be happy
Rule #1: Â Never go out for Central+Eastern European food when sleepy.
In stating that, I'd like to ensure you that I gave Stoli Bar & Restaurant a fair shake, though I longed for my bed. Â
It was a chilly night but I was determined to not allow yet another LS certificate to expire and this was my last chance as I was booked solid in town and then out of the country around the deadline.
Stoli's dimly lit, deep red atmosphere with imposing furniture didn't help my cause, though the live accordion did keep me somewhat upbeat as I sampled dishes with bits of Russian, Ukrainian, and French influence.
Chef Fred Dinov has received accolades which seemed to have expired. Â The few that are currently public were awarded several years ago. Â By today's standard, based on the quality of the food we received, I would hardly describe the menu as "haute cuisine".
Service was adequate but unenthusiastic. Â It seems the server was even bored with the drab Living Social deal prix fixe menu. Â Luckily for her, and me I guess, I almost always still order from the full menu when using deals. Â Once I asked for the full menu, she perked up a bit and made a few recommendations.
We started with a nice, fresh Allandale Farm spinach salad with tomato, radish and house oil-vinegar dressing and the hot (warm) borscht that was listed as "cold" on the menu. Â The borscht was traditional, made with beets, shreds of potato, carrots, and cucumbers, but lacking the citrus and vinegary highlights I would have like to experience. Â It was dressed with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dried Allandale Farm herbs.
We also ordered the mushroom soup which was purely unremarkable and mundane.
Our second course consisted of the potato latkes (a recommendation of our waitress) was my favorite dish of the evening. Â The simply-seasoned, crisp, moist latkes were capped with generous portions of rosebud-shaped house smoked gravlax and red caviar nestled in a line of sour cream. Â The velvety sour cream and starchy potato complemented the salinity of the red caviar and gravlax.
The presentation was charming.
The Vegetarian Delight crepe was disappointing with its dry shroud and soggy, overcooked vegetables (spinach, onion, zucchini, tomato, and red bell pepper) and mozzarella.
Momentum was not gained with our entrees.
The sauteed duck breast in cabernet, prunes, cranberry and apricot sauce was slightly overcooked and sadly without a crisp on the skin.  It was also egregiously oversalted.  It was served with stiff, unattractive mashed potatoes which lacked appeal.  The highlight of this dish was the fruit flambé atop the potatoes.
Flambé:  the highlight of this duck breast dish.
The Chicken Stroganoff had a decent flavor, but the bits of chicken were dry and overcooked, though drowned in the creamy sauce. Â The pickled salad was just OK and at the very least added a bit of color to the dish as the sad mashed potatoes made another lackluster appearance.
And dessert:
A Fruit Blintze, no ice cream. Â These crepes were much more moist when compared to the Veggie Delight. Â The warm apples, bananas, pears, and strawberries were sauteed in red wine, but could have benefited from more sweetness.
A poorly executed meal often leaves me in a sour mood. Â I was more than happy to leave Stoli and crawl into my bed to sleep off the disappointment.
I may commit to pulling up to the four-seater bar to try a few of their house-infused vodkas. Â I hear they are pretty good and the flavors include: Cranberry, Honey, Cherry, Black Currant, Pepper, Horseradish, Lemon, Mint, Apple, and Raspberry!
Sounds like a way to warm up this winter. Â I think it will be a cold one!
We went out to dinner tonight~ tried something new...Stoli in Boorkline..it's Russian food. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, Â and I ordered the Cranberry Martini, Spinach Salad, Borscht the third course was Salmon and Spinach Puffs...followed by Chicken Goulash, and for desert fruit crepe with chocolate sauce...
Mind you, I've become a bit of a food snob lately and Bonnie's cooking has spoiled me so that noting tastes as good...well, I can tell you this. The food, was beyond fabulous from the Martini to the desert. The service was just as wonderful and ..needless to say, the company of my wife , as always , just as lovely HIGHLY recommend STOLI in BROOKLINE....The BEST of  Boston ! BTW~ As you can see, it takes A LOT to impress me..this Restaurant did it...We''ll look forward to enjoying the food
there again...:)
As I observed the room throughout the evening, I realized that each one of the five parties dining at Stoli Bar & Restaurant on the Thursday evening of our visit was partaking of the LivingSocial 4 course meal deal; ourselves included. Â Normally, this is available for $35 per person as listed on the menu as the Prix Fine Meal, but with the voucher, it became $35 (plus tip & tax & drinks) for the two of us.
"Nosh on a cold starter, like spinach salad -- then, a bowl of borsch or mushroom soup. Main courses include veggie crepes, chicken stroganoff, and -- for the fourth course -- blintzes (thin pancakes) with fruits"
Everything was pretty good - the salad was simple yet refreshing, the borsch served warm and warming - with a hint of heat perhaps due to pepper (I even liked the mushroom soup which my DC had opted for), the stroganoff tasty enough with enjoyable sides of comforting mashed potatoes and the zing of pickled root veggies, and the blintzes wrapped with a crepe more tender than the smore crepe had at the Paris Creperie truck just earlier the same day. Â In fact, the only negative would be the slightly overcooked, rather dry chunks of chicken in my entree. Â (I did make mention of the overdoneness of the chicken, in hopes that the kitchen would keep this in mind when preparing it for other diners.) Â And also that this 4 course meal is a touch overpriced at the normal $35pp price in my opinion, as both salad and dessert were simplified variations of what is offered on the regular menu, and only a beef variation of the stroganoff entree is listed on the same normal menu.
Service was pleasantly provided throughout the room by the single Russian (as per her accent) lass, who hung out by the bar with a couple of regulars in between her duties.
Given the relatively reasonable prices of the rest of the menu (the most expensive entree being the rack of lamb at $23), I'd consider making my way back here sometime.
American Express not accepted.
my fiance and i had a coupon for a 4-course prix fixe dinner. overall, the food was good and the service was pleasant. however, it would have been too expensive for the quality had we not used the coupon.
we started with soup, which was actually the best course. i got the borsch, a rich beet and tomato based soup with a dab of sour cream. very flavorful, but not too heavy and a great starter course. my fiance had the hearty, mushroom soup. rather than creamy, it was more of a broth which helped balance the flavor to keep it light. we then had the spinach salad, which was lightly flavored with garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.
for mains, i had the vegetarian crepe. it was a little flat tasting, and needed some salt and pepper. the crepe itself was surprisingly sweet, and i later realized it was the same crepe used for the dessert blintzes. i was glad that it was not too cheesy and had a nice mix of vegetables including spinach, zucchini, carrots, and tomatoes. my fiance had the chicken stroganoff, which was extremely creamy. it was too heavy for my taste, and the pairing with the potatoes made for a very dense meal overall. it did have a bit of sauerkraut vinegar slaw on the side which helped to balance it out.
the dessert was a fruit blintz, which was filled with marinated apples and topped with drizzled chocolate and powdered sugar. for me, it was way too close to the vegetarian crepe.
the waitresses were very nice, and i thought it was a nice meal overall. i would have liked to try the vodka martinis that seem to be so popular!
Stoli just gets better and better.  Start with the bright and  lemony avocado-tomato salad and you'll want to have it again for dessert - but that would mean skipping the original take on strudel, a fruit-filled dumpling that is a tasty as it is pretty.  The place is small and therefore quiet, the service knowledgeable, and the presentation attractive. Stoli has gained in sophistication over the past few years (is my American taste showing?), but its infused vodkas,  silky vereniki, and  nice fat pelmeni still feel authentically worldly.
Review Source:We went here for a 4 course prefixe menu with salad, beet soup, chicken stroganoff, and fruit crepes.
The salad was and beet soup were very refreshing. Â The soup was actually cold which was a surprise, but it was a good flavor.
The chicken stroganoff was very tasty and came with a mound of mashed potatoes. Â But the salad that accompanied it was very sour.
The fruit crepes were warm and sweet - the crepe was light and fluffy.
Not bad, but not great either.
We came here with a LivingSocial voucher for the 4-course prix fixe menu for two. It was one of the most restrictive 4-course menus I've ever seen: two of the courses (salad and dessert) had only 1 choice, and the other 2 courses (soup and entree) had 2 choices each. Of the two entree choices, only one had meat.
Anyway, it's a cozy little place, with high ceilings, weird burlesque-legged lamp at the bar, and a neat accordion player supplying live music. Among the clientele, there was more Russian being spoken than English, probably a good sign.
The food itself was all right, though nothing to write home about. Strangely, however, our food took a looong time to come out. The first course was a spinach salad that couldn't have taken more than a couple minutes to prepare, but we were kept waiting about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, a couple that came in after us got their food before us. At least the staff apologized (twice, in fact) for the delay.
We didn't have any of the vodka, though reading the reviews here, I wish we had. We did have two of the Russian beers, the Porter and the Strong ale, and both were decent.
I wanted to like Stoli... I really did. Â I love Brookline Village and always try and support local businesses.
That being said, my first visit to Stoli was with an Amazon local voucher. Â My four course dinner consisted of the following:
Baby spinach salad with (maybe) three grape tomatoes cut into quarters and placed around the spinach. Â The dressing was nice and light, but overall this dish was very underwhelming.
Borsch soup - I blame myself for this, but I didn't know this soup was supposed to be served cold. Â It was just ok, there was A LOT of dill in the soup. Â If you don't like dill, don't order this.
Vegetarian Crepe - Not warm at all, shredded zuchini, cabbage, onions, and other inexpensive vegetables. Â I didn't see any sun dried tomatoes or mozzerella as advertised.
Blintzes - Tiny, but good. Â Two mini crepes the length of my middle finger stuffed with apples and cherries (I think) and drizzled with chocolate. Â They smelled delicious.
The highlight of my meal was my honey infused vodka martini. Â Everything else was poor. Â There is no way I would ever pay full price for this meal.
I strongly believe that doing there promotional vouchers, as well as restaurant week, are a way to reach out to new customers. Â If this is what they are reaching with, I wouldn't be surprised if none of those new customers return.
I had a Living Social voucher for a pre-set 4 course meal for 2. We made reservations for an hour later which was good and were seated right away and chose some cute seats near the window.
Wine: got a bottle for a good price
Salad: so amazing. spinach with chucks of raw garlic, radish, and a super good dressing
Soups: Hot borscht which was really good and Mushroom Barley which was very very good too.
Meal: it was some kind of chicken strognanoff thing. It was good and the mashed potatoes were tasty and the chef even took the time to make fork marks on it to dress it up.
Desert: was only OK, some kind of crepe filled with rhubarb or something.
Service was very friendly and helpful. Overall, a very nice evening with delicious food and great company. I would def recommend this place esp. if you have a voucher. It saves you 50% of the price really.
I have been to this place a couple of times and, while it's a one-hour drive, it is well worth it. Â This is my first time having borscht--which I would said I would NEVER try because I despise beets. Â Don't make the same mistake I did and delay having this. Â It is absolutely amazing, and my Russian friend said it was very good too--like her mom makes.
For entree, I had the lamb and it was out-of-this-world! Â It was cooked perfectly with EXCELLENT flavor, delicious sauce, and ample portion. Â
In addition to the food, the service was excellent and so was their liquor selection.
Definitely try this place.
We came here with an AmazonLocal voucher for a 4 course meal for 2 for $35. Really good deal and value. The spinach starter tasted healthy and fresh, tho nothing too fancy. The mushroom (or borsch) soup was pleasant. I especially enjoyed the main: chicken stroganoff with mushrooms and mashed potatoes and some kind of pickled cabbage that isn't as strong as sauerkraut  - very creamy and not bland at all. Dessert was chocolate drizzled mini crepes filled with strawberry, a nice ending.
I thought the red decor and Russian music video playing also contributed to an enjoyable ambience.
Only suggestion is that the service was way too fast/rushed. We got our food too quickly, which messed up the mood a bit. The restaurant was relatively empty, and it would've just been nice for us (them) to slow down the pace of the meal.
Would I go back? Yes! And more readily with another voucher ;)
I decided to come here on Valentine's Day when Sto,li was offering a prix fixe menu. I decided to go with the Russian Tower as the appetizer, which was extremely delicious. The portion size was a little small, but the smoked salmon and the caviar were great. For the main course, I decided on a Beef Stroganoff, which I felt was pretty good, if a bit too creamy. For dessert, I had the Blintz with Fruit, which was quite excellent. For $40, the food was definitely worth the price.
The service was quite excellent and all of the waitresses spoke Russian. There was also an accordionist who was playing, which was quite special. The restaurant wasn't overly packed. I will definitely be coming back.
Went here on a Sunday night, and there were only about four filled tables. Most people seemed to be having the livingsocial $35 four course fixe prix like we did.
The spinach salad looked a little sad. It was a plate of baby spinach with four of the tiniest pieces of diced tomatoes. Yes, just that. I wasn't expecting goat cheese or anything, but I surely didn't think that spinach salad = spinach + 4 teeny tiny pieces of diced tomato. The soup was good! You get a choice of Borsch or Mushroom, and both were very good. For mains, there is a choice between a veggie crepe or chicken stroganoff. I was a little disappointed at the choice. When I bought the deal, I remembered seeing that lamb was a choice in the mains, but apparently not. :( However, the chicken was good, and the portions were adequate. I would have liked more veggies on my plate, but it was okay. For dessert, we had a little crepe with warm fruits. It was delightful.
For the groupon deal + almost $20 in tips and taxes, I felt that it was a decent meal, although I feel a little misled by the livingsocial website about the lamb main. Would I pay full price for this? Probably not.
This Russian Restaurant is a surprise. Once someone tell me food is over rated.. yes, it is under Russian culture.
Their deco is just simple yet very warm and family style. Food wise, another simple but tasty. Their menu is small, every details in there you will know what you getting.
Lamb, a bit to salty. Fish was great. I enjoyed it very much.
Tricky part, they will open whenever they feel like. Monday close that for sure. Rest of the week, good luck.
I had cilantro/walnut stuffed sole wrapped in a grape leaf with sauteed vegetables. Â If that's Russian food, then paint me red, call me Anastasia, and ship me off to St. Petersburg. Â It was scrumptious.
Of course, as delicious as that was, I had to dock this place a star for two reasons:
1) Â Ordered the pickle appetizer. Â Pickled cabbage? Acceptable. Â Pickled carrots? Â Not delicious, but edible. Â Pickled cukes? Tasted jar-ish. Â Pickled tomatoes? NO. Â THE WORST. Â GAG INDUCING. Â Maybe people in Russian have developed a taste for what tasted like a tomato soaked in marmite and vodka, but I have not. Â Ick.
2) The bread basket was filled with what looked to be store-bought sliced wheat bread. Â Not even of the bakery varietal. Â It might have Country Kitchen or Fiber One for all I know. Â Of course, if that's a nod to communist bread rations, then I guess I kind of get it. Â Half a point restored.
I went here for dinner the other night and sadly left a little bit disappointed. Â Having Russian relatives means I grew up eating traditional, homemade Russian dishes regularly, so I guess my dissatisfaction is to be expected. Â But I was still hoping!
The restaurant itself is small and cozy, and the live accordion music and decor definitely gives the place a genuine Russian feel. Â My friend and I were offered a choice between sitting at a small table by the window right next to the accordion player, or one that was a little further in. Â Good thing we chose the latter, because I don't think I would have been able to hear myself talk if we sat right next to the music.
The waitress brought out bread as we were seated, but it was literally just a loaf of rye from the grocery store. Â I only nibbled on one piece - better to save the stomach space for the real food! Â For an appetizer, I ordered the Taste of Russia sampler, which consisted of three small bowls of food. Â One was of some sort of cabbage salad that was literally nothing more than coleslaw. Â The second was a shredded carrot salad - the dressing was very good. Â The beet salad was the best part of the entire appetizer though, despite the fact that it was different from anything I've had before. Â I'm used to the beets being in larger pieces, and this salad had them entirely diced up. Â My friend got the mushroom soup, which was just alright.
For my entree, I had the manti, which are dumplings with lamb. Â They were good, especially since I could drown them in sour cream (which, in my opinion, makes almost anything taste better), but I didn't particularly like the spice they put on them. Â My friend got the beef stroganoff, and while he did let me try some, it clearly did not leave an impression on me because I don't remember it well enough to comment on it.
I wanted to make one more mention of the music before I move on to dessert. Â The accordion music was nice, I suppose, but it was a little loud. Â And about halfway through the meal, it stopped completely, only to be replaced by dead silence. Â I have never realized it before, probably because it has never happened before, but silence in a restaurant is just plain awkward! Â Shortly thereafter, music by Sting filled the gap, which was just random.
On to dessert then. Â If you're in a chocolate mood, definitely get the blintzes with warm chocolate mousse. I say that not just because they're delicious, but also they're swimming in a pool of chocolate syrup. Â My friend got the apple strudel, which I thought was going to be the better dessert of the two, but I think my blintzes take the cake.
So overall, my experience at Stoli was a solid 3 stars. Â I don't really have anything to complain about per se (except for maybe the fact that our waitress continuously kept asking if I was finished with my plate when I definitely was not), but there wasn't anything to write home about either.
Consider this review an addendum to Andrea B.'s, my dining companion last Saturday night. We are pretty much of like mind where our dinner is concerned, and I think she hit all the pertinent points.
A few things I might add:
1) Stoli's florid decor is a little overwhelming given the small size of the space. Upon entering I wondered if we had stumbled into a secret chamber of Dracula's castle.
2) Our servers were adequate, meaning they brought us our food and didn't mess anything up. They didn't tell us anything about our food, which is something I look forward to when dining out.
3) The food, while uninteresting, is classic comfort food. Thick, rich and hearty are three words I would use to describe every dish we had. $40 per person is a bit much for comfort food, though, don't you think?
4) Why on earth was a Sting concert playing on the tv over the bar the entire night?
I don't get the rave reviews. I was pretty geared up to go to this place only to be pretty let down.
The space is inside is fine; nothing spectacular but it's cozy (or small, depending on your view).
The waitstaff was attentive enough. Again, serviceable like the decor.
The vodka list is decent, if a bit overpriced in some instances. Still they had gems like Pyat Ozer, a vodka not commonly found here in the US, for $7/shot. The housemade infused vodkas were actually pretty good for the most part. At $15/3 shots, you're not going to break the bank.
So, I have two major complaints: 1) some of the vodka definitely tasted watered down. I'm a bit of a vodka snob and I've had most of the vodkas on their list. When I got my shot of Russian Diamond and it literally tasted like water I knew something was up. My infused shots also were tasting like they were in the 40-50 proof range (rather than 80). 2) the food generally sucked.
Note to chefs worldwide: a little dill goes a long way! This place put an overdose of dill in EVERYTHING. Borscht? Check. Salads? Check. Fish? Check. Grilled veggies? You better believe it. Look, I know russian cuisine uses dill but this was insane. It was so heavy handed.
The salmon in the puff pastry dish was dry as can be. The veggies in the dishes were varied levels of cookedness.
I wouldn't come back here again to eat, most likely. Their vodka selection is decent, but I'm still a bit worried about the watering-down. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but after 6 shots in a 90 minute period I should not have been mostly sober when I left, right?
Absolutely delicious. The duck is out of this world, I'll keep going back just for that. The beef stroganoff is heavenly too.
They're cocktails are a special treat, they infuse their vodkas in house I believe. My favorite is the honey vodka martini.
My only quibble is that the desserts are not good. The berry blintz was bland and mostly sour. But you could just get another vodka martini for dessert too :)
So after my 3rd trip to Stoli, I'm finally writing a review :)
Absolutely, hands down my new favorite restaurant in Boston. Â Every time we go, I have to have the honey vodka, and a glass (or several!) of the Kindzamauruli.
The mushroom julienne in the crepe is to die for. Â Rich, creamy and totally delicious. Â I could eat one all by myself, but we always share so we can get the vareniki as well. Â Wrapped in a very thin dough, the filling is always extremely flavorful.
I'm not a beet person, so I never thought I would like borscht. Â Then I tried it...it's so good. Â Light and refreshing!
The stroganoff is outstanding...the creamy sauce and the tender beef are perfectly matched together. Â I never knew stroganoff could taste like this!
Recently I tried the shashlik. This elevates marinated chicken to a whole new level. Â The chicken was thoroughly seasoned throughout and not dry at all. Â Plus, the tiny orange peppers served on the side were a new experience to me, and I fell in love. :)
Dessert...wow...the blinis with fruit or with chocolate. Â You really can't go wrong with either of them...
The atmosphere is great...cozy and intimate, and you have to love the Russian Idol-like videos playing over the bar.
Fan-freakin'-tastic!
Everything about Stoli rocks. Its proximity to public transit, its impeccably friendly service, its lovely, chic and cozy decor and--of course--its food.
It's not a purely Russian place. There's definitely some Americanization and pan-Eastern European flavors going on. But the food is good and while not dirt cheap, pretty worth the expenditure.
My favorites:
Mushroom soup - I LOVE mushrooms and this soup was amazing. Thick, hearty, savory and chock full of shrooms.
Potato Latky - A more than generously portioned appetizer of potato pancakes and smoked salmon. Absolutely delicious!
Herring - Perfectly marinated. My friend said it was comparable to the stuff he had when he traveled through Eastern Europe.
Beef Stroganoff - Hard to go wrong with this dish and it was just delicious. Creamy and rich with plenty of chunks of beef.
Duck Breast: Wow! So perfectly cooked. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.
Blintz with fruit: Because you get 2 HUGE pieces of delicious Russian crepey goodness.
Not so much a fan of the cold borsch soup and they were out of the hot, so I'd be interested to try that next time (I love hot borsch soup!). The house-infused vodkas were so good! I tried the pepper (like a spicy broth because it has no sweetness of any kind), black currant (delish!), cranberry (tart), watermelon (very natural flavor, not that artificial crap) and blackberry (yummy).
I visited Cafe Stoli on a Sunday evening with a large group of friends recently for a birthday dinner. We started off the meal with some unusual martinis: my husband and I had pepper, and others at the table tried honey and horseradish. The waiter warned me that it was very spicy, but I liked it. Later on I tried a honey martini and that was even better.
On to the food: the potato ladkys were delicious, layered with smoked salmon and served with sour cream and red caviar. I would have liked them to be hotter, though. I also tried some mushroom pastry, pickled cabbage, and vareniki, everything was delicious. For entrees, I had the swordfish with asparagus and vegetables, and my husband had the pan-fried chicken. The dishes were not too big, presented nicely, and tasted great! Finally, we got dessert and espresso. The cherries vareniki was excellent.
Met some friends here for dinner the other night. Â It's in a very convenient location right next to the Brookline Village T-Stop (although I still managed to get lost finding it). Â The menu leaves a little to be desired if you are a vegetarian, but there are a lot of options if you don't mind eating starters for a meal. Â The borsch is amazing. Â I would go back strictly for that! Â The service? Â Not so great...the only thing really keeping this from a 5 star review.
If you're going on a weekend, I would suggest making a reservation. Â It's a small restaurant and gets crowded quickly.
Really? Â Four stars? Â I don't think so.
Went for lunch yesterday. Â First of all, it was FREEZING inside.
I had the vareniki, which took forever to come out. Â They didn't have much flavor, and I wouldn't say there were mushrooms and onions on top--there were little slivers of each, but it was barely there. Â Plus, these guys were like, $10.
Service was super slow. Â I mean, he was nice, but that doesn't win you points if everything else is pretty lackluster.
Oh, and the music videos on the screen over the bar? Â Overly sexual, and I know I've heard those songs on commercials for CDs with Enya.
I wanted to like this place, but...
Yelp really ought to have a 2.5 categories as there is a huuuge gap between '"Meh. Â I've experienced better." and "A-OK." Â I mean, "A-OK," to me, sounds pretty good. Â I planned on giving it a 3 out of 5 until I read what the stars correspond to and I think "Meh" is better than "A-OK" but it is not statistically accurate.
Anyways... Meh. Â Just went there for a Valentine's Day dinner. Â Prix fixe meal, $55 each. Â Girlfriend had the smoked salmon blintze for her first course. Â I had the spinach and goat cheese salad. Â The salmon blintze was very tasty, but not that aesthetically appealing because of a gray streak running across it. Â Spinach goat cheese salad was definitely done well, with a really nice simple dressing. Â
Second courses: Â she had the duck, which was ordered as medium but came out somewhere between rare and medium-rare. Â Quite good with mashed potatoes and a roasted apple. Â I had the lambm ordered medium-rare, came out medium-well. Â Very good. Â Roasted potatoes OK, not nearly as good or as thought out as the mashed on her plate.
Dessert was the third and final course, but you were not given a choice; it didn't even appear on the menu, just said something about a special dish from the kitchen. Â Unfortunately for me, it was a crepe filled with multiple berries, all of which I am allergic too. Â I alerted the waitress, who apologized, but didn't offer me any type of substitute. Â Disappointing, though my girlfriend thought it was very good. Â Would have been nice to offer me anything, even just vanilla ice cream (which the kitchen definitely had, as it came out in a scoop with the crepe.) Â
So, yeah, food good but... Meh. Â I also should mention the wine was very reasonably priced. Â But if I could find the keys to my time machine, I would probably have gone somewhere else. Â Might be better on a non fixed menu night.
This place is great, one of my favorite restaurants in Boston (and no, not just because it's Russian food).
Usually when you walk in, the place is nearly empty if not completely. Don't let that discourage you. I suppose a lot of people not familiar with Russian cuisine may be a bit hesitant, but don't be!
The owner is a really nice guy and always fun to talk to (he speaks English too, just fyi).
First of all: the vodkas! I mean as another yelper Aniya mentioned, if you're a Russian restaurant you should have good vodkas by default, however these are the best I've ever tried anywhere (including in Russia- however to be fair I didn't try that much the last time I was there)
You can get a vase of vodka that equals probably about 12-16 shots total for about $25-30. There are a ton of flavors to choose from too- my favorite is blackcurrant. It tastes so smooth and delicious, and before you know it you're drunk heh because it tastes so delicious.
The food selection is great- I mean it's not a huge selection and I'm a bit disappointed that a lot of my favorites aren't on there, but from the selection they do have everything has been delicious. The Georgian salad is great, as are the vareniki and the dessert menu is flavorful and fantastic.
Oh and the wines! Really delicious Georgian wine.
I would never turn down an opportunity to go here, this place is great.
Oh Stoli, how I love you!
We stopped here for after-dinner drinks during our wonderful stay in Brookline. Their pepper and horseradish-infused vodkas -- are there even words? So unique and so terrific, and not a bad deal at $5 apiece. We had three between us (split the third) and walked out happy! Great atmosphere and service too, and the location is so sweet. I love Brookline Village.
"It was our first grown-up date"
We had tickets to the Russian Opera Rusalka, so I wanted to incorporate the theme into dinner. Â A quick Yelp search found several Russian restaurants and I picked the one closest to work (LMA). Â While it was less than a mile, we actually drove and had no problems finding a spot on the street. Â Also a short walk from the T.
I had made a reservation, which I realized was unnecessary the moment we walked in. Â There were plenty of open tables at 6:00 on a Wednesday - not a big surprise. Â The atmosphere was casual, but classy at the same time. Â I didn't feel out of place wearing a suit, as we were dressed for the opera. Â We ordered a round of Vodka while we waited for our meal. Â The service was a little slow, which normally wouldn't be a big deal but we were in a rush since curtain was at 7:30. Â The food was worth the wait. Â I had the Beef Stroganoff, which was tender, rich, and delicious. Â My date had the Chicken Tabaka which I sampled and was also very good. Â
I was satisfied with our dinner - I hadn't had good Stroganoff since MN. Â Thought it was a good value too - $60 for 2 entrees, 2 vodkas, including tax and tip. Â I would definitely visit again; it would be interesting to check out the atmosphere on a busier night.
Stoli is a gem: fabulous plating, old-country charm, and fresh, delicious food.
To toast our new president we ordered three of the house-infused vodkas. We weren't brave enough to try pepper or horseradish. Cranberry was good, but the cherry was strikingly similar to cough syrup, and the mint to gasoline. I'm shuddering now thinking of it.
The julienne mushroom crepe was silky and delicious, the meat in puff pastry pleasant. I devoured the rich latke layered with smoked salmon and adorned with sour cream and salmon roe. But by far the star of the evening was the karsky, luscious lamb lollipops paired with tangy fresh tomato sauce, perfect potatoes and refreshing zucchini.
Presentation is gorgeous here, and that held true for the dessert blintzes, one with wine-soaked fruit, the other a dark chocolate mousse. Both were garnished with a tiny scoop of ultra-rich vanilla ice cream. At that point I was overwhelmed by crepes and richness and could only take a couple bites.
The meal, including dessert, vodka and tip, ran less than $40 each, which I thought quite decent for what we got. But our waiter, an adorable older gentleman with a heavy accent, told us the menu will be changing, with lower prices and a few new dishes and vodka flavors. I told him how much we loved the lamb, and he said he'd keep that.
If ever there was an occasion for a grown man to say OMFG, this is it. Seriously, this tiny little restaurant in Brookline Village is off the charts amazing!
We went here for a rehearsal dinner for my best friend's wedding. His wife's family is Russian and they chose this place for our party. The group of about 18 of us had no idea what we were in for. I'm talking extra belt notch good food.
A few quick notes about the place itself. We occupied more than half of the restaurant. There were two waitstaff serving our party. The flat screen TV is hung over the bar and does not have cable (we asked to watch the sox game). It looks like the bar is well stocked for such a small place. The rest room is a single serve and is past the bar on the way into the kitchen. There is a semi-circle padded booth at the head of the table, which our bride and groom occupied and seemed to be very comfortable. Â
Now to the food. They started us off with cranberry vodka, served in those old glass milk bottles. This was not your typical flavored vodka. It was just as potent as any straight up vodka, with just enough fruitiness to differentiate taking this shot from pregaming your freshman year in college.
Then came the appetizers. I'm sure I will forget some, and don't know any of the names, but it really doesn't matter: everything was awesome. I will mark each dish with 1-3 "+" signs to rate their fantasticness.
There was a crepe with prosciutto served with caviar(++), pork slices with a great horseradish sauce (+++), some mushroom julienne thing topped with cheese that everyone else said was (+++) but I'm not huge on mushrooms so I gave it (+), seasoned potatoes with onions and mushrooms (++), a dumpling filled with meat (+), Â beet soup which my friend hogged so I didn't get to try it. He said he doesn't eat beets but (obviously) loved it, so I'm going to go with (+++), salad - nothing extraordinary (+).
At this point, we were all already in love with this place. They just kept the plates coming for groups of 4 to share and pass. The food came before we even finished the last plate, so we had to pile it all on to make room on the table. Didn't bother me none.
Then came the main dishes. We didn't realize there was more, everyone was stuffed from the apps... but dear lord, it was glorious. So. Much. Meat.
Lamb shanks on the bone, so juicy and tender it felt wrong using a fork and knife (+++), Chicken legs which were absolutely my favorite - seasoned so perfectly and slow cooked so it was nice and juicy (+++), a duck dish with mashed potatoes which compared to the others wasn't as good, but still (+++) and sole - by far the ugly duckling of the main courses. I actually didn't eat any, so I won't rate it.
By the time we polished off the last of the main dishes, we were all pleasantly drunk and jolly as we said "screw loosening the belt, it's staying unbuckled."
...And then came dessert. There's nothing like a perfect dessert to cap off a wonderful meal. The dessert menu consisted of ice cream, cake and blintzes, which are crepe-like and filled with either chocolate or fruit and served with ice cream. I was told it was awesome by those who ordered it. But I had my eye on the chocolate cake with ice cream. It was mousse cake, not Betty Crocker style. Served with just a drizzle of fruit syrup. Un-freaking-believable. I inhaled it. I was literally scraping my plate with my fork, trying to scoop the last bits of cake and ice cream into my mouth. I honestly didn't want to stop eating and I think I could have willed myself to keep going. But alas, our time was up and we had to leave, not without mental-mapping what I'd order next time I come in. And there will be a next time.
I love the food here.
My boyfriend and I came here on a Tuesday night and had the place to ourselves, so I can't speak for the atmosphere during busy times. (yelp! says "dressy", casual at off-hours seems fine). The place was small with a few tables and a nice chandelier. There was a flat screen tv at the back by the bar, which took away from decor but probably entertained staff during empty hours.
My boyfriend wasn't impressed by the Russian beer, Baltica.
The food is to die for. For appetizers we had the Vareniki (potato dumplings) and a puff pastry with cheese and spinach? You can not go wrong with those two dishes. My boyfriend loved his duck breast and I could not get enough of the beef strogranoff. Both dishes come on huge mound of mashed potatoes (which may make you feel cheated since theres more mashed potato than entree). However I love loveed it. I'm still craving that beef stroganoff!
Yesterday, I had a hankering for Russian food and with promises of borscht and vodka, I convinced the last friend I can still call without too much notice and planning to join me on a dinnertime trek to the Cafe St. Petersburg in Newton Centre. Â I once spent a year of exile in Newton Centre and wasn't keen on returning to that bourgeois Siberia of fashion boutiques and imperialist sport utility vehicles but where my appetite is concerned I'm all id. Â Then I started trolling my trusty Yelp and learnt that Stoli Bar and Restaurant in Brookline Village was much closer and its location comparatively less annoying.
Stoli is a tiny and narrow space. Â The dining room holds maybe about 12 tables but it felt cozy and not cramped. Â The bar at the back of the room was minuscule and I assumed the three stools were there more for decoration than function. Â A lamp on the bar added an interesting touch: A pair of legs in black fishnet stockings and a shade shaped like a red corset. Â There was a time when I'd have wanted that for my living room. Â The walls were painted a soothing creamy white that emphasized the deep red of the booths and draperies. Â Something New Ageish and unidentifiable played over the sound system. Â It sounded vaguely Elvish but I couldn't be certain. Â
We were greeted by three very young, very pretty women. Â They'd been speaking to each other in some musical, but slightly edgy, European tongue that might have been--I'm going out on a limb here--Russian. Â One note in this lovely triad escorted us to a table. Â I swallowed the urge to make a Boris and Natasha joke. Â ("Beeeg trouble for meewse and squerrel.") Â Sometimes I don't know what gets into me.
We started off with drinks. Â The lady had to go all manly and order a horseradish vodka. Â I chose a Bee Tini. Â (Shut up!) Â I looked at the menu and felt like I was back in my grandmother's kitchen: lox and blintzes and borscht and a host of unpronounceable items that were just various types dumplings stuffed with potatoes and meat, and seemingly everything served with a side of sour cream! Â A basket of hearty black bread appeared out of nowhere. Â We ordered appetizers and kept ordering until we got to the end of the menu, by which time the hostess rolled us out the door and onto the street. Â Dinner for two with drinks and dessert came to a shade over $90, including the tip. Â Not the cheapest meal but delicious from beginning to end. Â I walked back to Allston humming the theme from "Tetris" and fell asleep on the couch watching "From Russia With Love."
Now, I don't like Russian restaurants in general, mostly because Russian restaurant food is usually more fattening versions of what you get at home. Â In addition, a Russian style banquet means you walk in, there are endless cold appetizers and alcohol already on the table. Â While you stuff yourself with that, they bring out endless hot appetizers, followed by the potato course, and then the main course (which usually involves several types of meat). Â Intermittently, you dance. Â You go home stuffed and drunk, and wake up disgusted the next day. Â The flipside is it's superfun to eat, drink, and dance all in the same place.
BUT: I really really liked this place. Â It's tiny, and they don't have a cheesy band, so subtract the dancing from the banquet. Â We had 40 people at my mom's birthday banquet, and that closed out the restaurant. The food was excellent! Â I wouldn't say it typical Russian restaurant food, because I doubt in communist St. Petersburg they had ever heard of eel, seared tuna or avocado, but if they had, this is how they would serve it. Â In addition to creative items, you also have all the basics, like blintzes with caviar, and mushroom julienne. Â The main courses were very well made too, and included classics (Karsky lamb) and originals (who's ever heard of duck?).
Service was impeccable, like a royal dinner: dishes appear and disappear, and never at want of water, alcohol, or a clean plate. Â It's not cheap, but it's great! Â
EDIT, 10/14/07: you don't have to have a banquet, you can also order a la carte. Â I brought a bunch of non-Russians here, and although at first, people were curious but reticent to try the borscht (it's pink!), and the potato dumplings (sour cream? really?), and blintzes with caviar (crepes with fish eggs?), in the end everyone was very satisfied. Â The tea and cherry jam was a huge success, especially. Â For 8 people: 1 carafe vodka, 3 apps, entrees for all, tea for all and 3 desserts: $350 including tip. Â Plus, a distinct Russian mafia feel, according to a few who recently saw Eastern Promises. Â I don't know about that....
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