Famous last words “Shto vee rikamindavat”

“Shto vee rikamindavat” roughly translated is “what would you recommend” which is the question we pose to the waiter who has drawn the short straw and is serving us. We have already managed to order vodka and beer (some things come naturally)

We are in our local bar. I say local as it is only about 150 yards away just next to a great pastry shop.
I will say more about the place in a later blog, enough to say it could be described as eclectic and has a noisy Parrot in the corner.

So it is around 8:30 and Judi came home declaring she was hungry and we should go out. Fine not a problem so off to the local. There is no Menu Engliski in this place as we are off the main road and we do know there is an English speaking waitress but she is not in today. The menu is huge and does not seem to match anything in my “lonely Planet handy dandy phrase book” so we are asking the waiter what he would recommend.

Now people who have travelled with me will know this is my get out of jail phrase. If in doubt just ask for the plate of the house or the chef’s special or the waiters recommendation. One would think by now I would have learnt that this is a dangerous thing to do.
On one of our wine trips to France I asked for the “farmer’s lunch” and got grilled tripe which was interesting.
In Bangkok at the Indian restaurant (which Judi assured me was highly rated) the chef’s special turned out to be Kidney curry. Now ask yourself how many kidneys you can eat at one sitting 1,2 3 if you have stamina but not a plate full even if they are covered in curry sauce.
In Nice the house special was comprised almost entirely of octopus and squid two of my least favorite items. Plus I think a couple of them were still moving.
Aramanche brought a poisson (fish) soup which you may have seen in the film Papillon.
Whilst at the Great Barrier Reef it was Boston Bay bugs, alligator and wallaby
Cusco in Peru was guinea pig whilst Lima was Goats neck.
Hong Kong was a chopped up chicken in a bowl bones and all. This was in a place on the 3rd floor above the tattoo place (another of Judi’s recommendations)
There was something called Chittlin in Atlanta which is parts of animals you don’t normally use.
There are several more but you may be contemplating easting later so I will get back to the plot.

So we order a couple of things the guy recommends and wait. A couple of drinks and 40 minutes later something arrives. I resembles a suasage with a dip and some onion. Mmmmmmmm it does not look dangerous. The thought remember nobody will be specifically looking to poison you runs through my mind. Ok lets go for it. Whilst it is seasoned it cannot hide the fact that this is a liver and kidney sausage. Lucky for me there is only one and by now I am hungry enough to try the tripe again. Not sure why they though this one should go to me but Judi gets a plate which is something covered in melted cheese. lifting the lump of cheese up there are vegetables in a white sauce which are covering some as yet unidentified piece of meat.  It was actually quite tasty but that might have something to do with the drinks and the level of starvation.  Soon both are finished and we get the bill which is 500 rubles or around $16 which with drinks included which was good and possibly indicate we may not have chosen the best pieces off the menu.

Well it is all part of the adventure. So if we ever go out for a meal please please please stop me ordering the “special” as it would seem I never learn.