U IS FOR UKRAINE

I have wanted to come to Streecha for a long time, but when I tried previously, it was closed for vacation. Well, finally, we were in the East Village, and hungry, and remembered about it, and it was open. Streecha is a small basement canteen maintained by the nearby Ukrainian church’s volunteers. The menu has the staples of Ukrainian cuisine but also some fancier, less ethnic dishes. For instance, there was a shrimp pasta on the menu that day, to which the person taking orders referred to as “smachno!” (delicious). I got 12 potato and cheese vareniki (aka pierogi) and they turned out to be huge, and drenched in melted butter and fried onions. I tried to not fall into a food coma right there on the brightly colored plastic tablecloth, while watching the debates for the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election, and a heritage teenager who brought his black friend to try borscht. I made a resolution, once again, to learn Ukrainian, because it’s kind of like Russian, but better, and because I want to honor my Ukrainian quarter.

Streecha,  traditional Ukrainian cuisine
33 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003
Check business hours before visiting

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