I went there for the first time today hoping to try the Borscht. As someone who grew up eating borscht every week thanks to my Ukrainian parents, I was hoping to fulfill that craving today.
But let me tell you, it’s all a lie.
That soup was more disappointing than when Japan lost their match against Croatia.
Nothing about that soup was even remotely close to any borscht I have ever eaten. Literally no beets flavor, it was just a beef stew. I am sad that this is what Japanese people are told to think is “borscht”.
That’s my PSA for today, cheers.
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As an American who hasn’t had a decent burger in about a decade, I feel you, friend.
This reminds me of when I tried a paella in Tokyo and it was just some yellow rice with crab legs on top…
Either go to a proper authentic restaurant or cook it yourself….
I’m sure Japanese people say the same about Sushi or Ramen sold in other counties.
In fairness, it’s labeled “Tokyo Borscht” on the menu.
I make my own borscht with fresh beets.
I went once, they put mayo on the borscht, and I never went back,
there’s a place in higashi nakano that i thought was good
コ．トゥ．タモ．ペヴァ
i think they only take reservations right now due to corona
Proper borscht is a nightmare here. I want Ukrainian Borscht and I haven’t been able to find it. I have a recipe taught to me a Ukrainian friend when I was in Siberia many years ago. I wanted to eat it so much I ended up growing my own beetroot one year. But they spoil very quickly so you don’t have much time. And they were tiny.
But now I see you can get beetroot on amazon so I might give it another try.
From the POV of someone who has never had authentic borscht, only the soup stock one: soup stock borscht is delicious lol. Sorry… You’ve inspired me to go out and eat some real borscht one day though!
Soup stock in general has been a festival in blandness to me. Tried to like it. But failed.
How is Soup Stock overall?
Yeah trying to get anything authentic in s chain shop usually ends in disappointment
If you want anything good don’t go to Soup Stock Tokyo. Small portions, overpriced, all sodium.
What a coincidence I was just on the “Three grand soups” Wikipedia page and saw that it said this about borscht: “In Japan, beetroots are uncommon and often substituted by tomatoes.”
My experience when ordering “fish and chips” for the first time here. My expectations were not high and I was still disappointed.
You have no idea how many times I’ve been disappointed whan looking for non Japanese food. Japan does Japanese best. Anything else, you’re better off making it yourself.
It’s what I’ve been saying about Mexican food in Japan for 41 years.
I used to cook real Borscht at home to my family, but recently I went to Rogovsky restaurant with half Russian friend and other guys. Soup was 薄い, not authentic taste and amount was less in a big plate.
Price was about 1100-1200 for one plate. The big disappointment. Next time I wish to visit Russian restaurant at Kichijoji. I heard that place is not that pricy.
Oh boy are you gonna love the “borscht” I was served in a school lunch here. It was their basic school lunch ポトフ (boiled cabbage, potatoes, carrots, wieners, onion in consomme) with tomato paste and yogurt. Ta da! Borscht!
Speaking of which, don’t get the lasagna from 7-11. I know, it’s 7-11, but they have OK stuff sometimes. The lasagna they have right now though, is absolute dogshit.
Fukuoka also has a Russian restaurant, but I forget the name
Was it decent beef stew?
For good Borscht for me it is either Baikal in Roppongi (Midtown side) or a bit on the lighter side for the purse Cafe Russia in front of Kichijouji station (very reasonable lunch).
I once had potato chips with my ‘fish and chips’ so I’m not really surprised.
I had this experience at a Mexican restaurant in Osaka that put “red sauce” on their burrito…. Expect it was PIZZA sauce!!! 🤢
If youre in Kichijoji on the weekend, drop by Babusya REY, its run by Ukrainians and I think the borscht is pretty damn good without being too expensive. No reservations and they use a small bar kitchen, so be preapred to wait a little.
Lol what did you expect? Next weeks PSA: if you want pasta, don’t go to Saizeriya
There used to be a restaurant in Shibuya with borscht, I think called Matryoshka? And Baikal in Roppongi.
Also, oddly, the Hungarian restaurant at Jiyuugaoka station had a decent version.
If you want borscht just make your own! I run an organic farm in Miyagi and beets are one of the crops we grow a lot of, the seeds of which I import from America. They’re much sweeter. We ship all over Japan but I don’t have them listed online currently due to some late summer weather problems, but I still have them. Just message me if you’d like me to put a listing on one of the sites we sell through.
Is there a good Ukrainian restaurant in Tokyo?
Your fault for having expectations. Most Japanese people never had and never will have the original thing. Also don’t care that what they eat is not original. It’s just marketing by Japanese companies for Japanese customers, they don’t expect foreigners to try it and won’t care if they complain.
Funny, because I just cooked it for my family last night and they loved it! My local Japan Meat supermarket had an abundance of cheep fresh beets.