A pair of transplanted Russians have brought the food of their homeland to a new restaurant in Red Deer. And they’ve sprinkled in some Canadian flavour to cover all the bases.
RusCan Meals opened earlier this month at No. 110, 100 Kent St., the former premises of Wok In Asian Cuisine.
Owner-operators Katia Bylinka and Tamara Shestakova, who have only lived in Red Deer for a few years, felt the location near Edgar Industrial Park was ideal because of the limited number of restaurants nearby.
“We decided this is the greatest location ever for the working people here,” said Bylinka.
RusCan Meals serves authentic Russian food, she said, but also offers alternatives for those who don’t want to stray from traditional Canadian fare.
It has a different menu for each weekday, with the Russian selections including manty, dumplings, cabbage rolls, pelmeni, varenyky and mannik, as well as borsch, and solyanka and ukha soups.
Customers can also choose from the likes of beef stroganoff, chicken and fish cutlets, casseroles and burgers.
“Our main focus is on home-style,” said Bylinka.
“But we have adapted it to Canadian likes.”
RusCan Meals is currently focused on the lunchtime crowd, with its hours 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. It may open for breakfast in the new year, said Bylinka, with further expansion of its hours a possibility in the future.
RusCan Meals also offers a catering service.
Customers to date seem pleased with the food, Bylinka said.
“So far, all the plates are clean.”
Additional information, including its daily menus, can be found online at www.ruscanmeals.com.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com