Eastern European cuisine is an unsung hero of winter. A trove of comfort food, with savory meats and stuffed dumplings followed by sweet cakes to brighten the season’s coldest nights. As the most racially diverse city in the Denver metro region, Aurora has much to offer when it comes to Eastern European fare.
A TASTE OF RUSSIA AT SOLOMON’S EUROPEAN MARKET
Food is always on a Russian’s table, according to Mark Gurzhiev who manages the family-owned Solomon’s European Market at South Havana Street and East Jewell Avenue.
Gurzhiev, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, says a typical Russian meal starts with appetizers. “It begins with fish, different types of salamis, cheeses, caviar,” he said. The salamis at Solomon’s are vast in their varieties, from veal bologna to Hungarian bacon. Gurzhiev suggests a sample of the evryskaya salami, which tastes somewhat similar to beef jerky, but with better texture.
Smoked salmon, herring and mackerel sit encased next to the deli assortments, and more adventurous foodies can buy a whole smoked mackerel to take home and cut up for a snack.
Wrapped in a block of bright red, the rossiisky cheese is imported from Russia, and a bestseller according to Gurzhiev. It is comparable in mildness to a havarti, and pairs well with rye bread, which arrives partially baked from Germany, where it’s then completely baked in-house. “No meal in a Russian family goes without bread,” he said.
Rye is a fixture in Russian households, and is even used in a popular soda known as Kvass, a fermented rye malt with a low enough alcohol content to be enjoyed by adults and children.
Soup would also figure into a traditional Russian meal, followed by a hearty dish like pelmeni, a dumpling stuffed with meat that is served hot. “The pelmeni is a very winter food. You can eat it with sour cream, or with butter,” Gurzhiev said.
But it is the sweet stuff where Solomon’s really shines. Gurzhiev says Russian food is all about presentation, which explains the bins of beautiful candies, each elaborately wrapped in shiny blue, green and yellow foils. Rich cakes like the layered and custard-infused Napoleon come straight from the Russian bakeries of New York. A freezer near the deli counter sells a block of pure Russian vanilla ice cream wrapped in its own luminous red foil.
Gurzhiev says he has a sweet tooth for such treats. “It tastes different from American ice cream. They put a lot of cream in it,” he said.
A BIT OF ARMENIA IN AURORA
The Mirage Meat and Deli on East Hampden Avenue is a short drive from Solomon’s under I-225. Owner Anna Parikyan, an Armenian immigrant, serves up an impressive spread of prepared foods that include Armenian staples such as dolmas and lamb shish kebob as well as Russian favorites like beef stroganoff. Bags of homemade pierogis line the refrigerated shelves, next to delicacies like duck and rabbit meat.
“It’s coming from Italy, German, Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia,” she said of the selection. Cream-filled pastries tantalize even the most controlled eater. The fluffy, white meringues sold by the bag are like eating the top off of a meringue pie, but in pillowy marshmallow form.
Hand knitted socks for sale at the checkout counter complete the experience of visiting an ethnic market as authentic as any you might find on Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.
FINE POLISH DINING IN WESTMINSTER
Like Aurora, Westminster is a sprawling suburb that houses ethnic cuisine gems in the most unassuming strip malls.
Take Cracovia Restaurant and Bar on West 94th Avenue off of Wadsworth Boulevard. With its black tablecloth and dim orange lighting that casts a holy glow around portraits of Polish architecture, Cracovia is a cocoon of comfort on a cold winter night. Order a Zywiec, and taste Poland’s crisper version of Coors, which is measured in mils and comes with a matching glass.
Appetizers include sausage served steaming off of the griddle. Beets are a star of Eastern European fare, and are prominent in the restaurant’s soups. Zurek, a unique white borscht, comes with sausage, boiled eggs and potatoes. A plate of placek, potato pancakes, is oily, salty perfection when dipped in sour cream or applesauce.
Delicious hibernation is sure to be induced by ending the evening with a baseball-sized jelly-filled paczki, otherwise known as a traditional Polish donut.
Solomon’s Grocery and European Deli
1939 S. Havana St.; Aurora; 303-337-6454
Mirage Meat and Deli
15413 E. Hampden Ave. Aurora; 303-766-9291
Cracovia Restaurant & Bar
8121 W. 94th Ave.; Westminster; 303-484-9388