This is the go-to spot in Seattle for all manner of eastern European delights.
This Seattle food fills you up.
It’s a substantial meal that brings a smoky down-home flavor to your table. At the same time, the flavors and textures fulfill a longing in your heart.
Its roots are found in dishes created by people living in economic and social upheaval in eastern Europe.
- Popular ingredients include dairy and wheat, which are combined to create delicious pastries. Yogurt and cheese are among the staples.
- A wide variety of grains can include rye, barley, wheat, buckwheat, and millet. They are used in bread and kashas. Kasha refers to a cooked grain.
- Protein is often from traditionally harvested wild foods, fish, and birds as well as berries.
- This cuisine is a fallback to a time when we foraged and grew our own food. Farm fresh chicken, ducks, beef, mutton, and lamb are often featured.
- You can also find recipes that include fruits such as pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, pomegranates, dates, and figs. They’re in a variety of desserts and also liqueurs.
Part extravagance and part comfort food, it’s like going home to a traditional family dinner table.
This restaurant is cozy with an interior vibe that feels a bit like your family living room. That suits the food.
Dacha Diner Restaurant in Seattle
If you’ve never been here before, be sure to bring your appetite and an adventuresome spirit. Some dishes will be familiar but others will surprise and delight.
Here are a few of the more popular selections.
Khachapuri
This is a dish that satisfies yet leaves you longing for more.
Khachapuri is cheese-filled bread, very doughy with lots of cheese. This is peasant food at its best.
Delicious and buttery with a variety of fillings, it’s street food in Armenia, has Russian roots (Georgia) and many other versions can be found in smaller countries and regions.
It's classic comfort food at its best.
There is a Krakowska version on the menu that includes delicious smoked ham as a filling that’s worth a try.
Some say Khachapuri originates from sailors, because it’s boat-shaped, with the filling in the middle. The Adjarian version has cheese, butter, and egg yolk in the middle.
Fire on the Mountain Khachapuri has cheese and mushrooms with a side of ajika, a spicy red pepper sauce.
The Badrijani features eggplant on top.
It’s a great food to take out and eat as a picnic in the park as you can hold it in your hands.
Georgian Salad
Another simple yet delicious menu choice is this simple salad of tomato, cucumber, red onion, radish, & parsley. It pairs well with the khachapuri as the flavors and textures are complimentary. The secret is in the homemade tarragon vinaigrette.
Order first.
When you arrive, it’s best to order right away, rather than waiting for the rest of your party to arrive. When I’m going with friends, I sometimes go early, get seats and order everyone’s dinner right away.
Arrive early.
They are so popular, they will often run out of their specials and even sometimes their regular menu items are gone. Arrive early to be sure you can get what you want.
Consider Take-out
During Covid, take-out is your only option, but the inside of the restaurant is so tiny, that’s a possibility in any case.
The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and the ambiance is inviting and relaxing.
They’re committed to sticking with take-out only during Covid.
“We will remain offering to-go only. We will not open our doors until science says it’s safe. Thank you for your support! Opening our doors at 25% is literally three tables and not a financially sustainable option. That said, even if we could have the entire floor open we would choose not to open our dining room during a pandemic. It is important we do our part to keep ourselves, our workers, and our community safe. We will continue to offer to-go only until science says it is safe to do so. Anytime masks are removed we are placing each other at risk. We greatly miss how things were and making these difficult choices now brings us closer to a future with safe indoor dining.” — Dacha Diner Facebook page
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