On my last night in Irkutsk, o. Alexander was kind enough to take me out for dinner with some of the other youth to a Chinese restaurant. In Russia, Chinese food isn’t as common as it is in the US, and not as popular as other ethnic foods, such as Japanese or Middle Eastern shawerma. While there are certainly plenty of Chinese restaurants, especially in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, they tend to be high-end, and not the kind of 350 sq. foot hole in the wall that pounds out delivery after delivery of General Gao’s chicken and pork fried rice for cramming college students.
In Siberia, however, the Chinese restaurants are more common, for obvious reasons. And unlike our Americanized Chinese menus, this Chinese food is much closer to what you might find in China itself. When I saw the menu, and later, the food itself, I immediately thought that this is clearly not Chinese food! I assumed that the restaurant was owned by some Russians who were trying their best at recreating what Russians tend to associate with Chinese cuisine. (Later, I would visit Beijing, Harbin, and Tianjin, China, and discover that, in fact, Chinese food in China was much different than what we get in the USA. I then would realize that the restaurant in Irkutsk was not a sloppy attempt at Chinafication, but in fact the real deal.) While I would be forced to give up my initial assumption about the Russification, or should I say, the Siberiafication, of the Chinese food, I would not have to do the same concerning the “ambience” of the restaurant.
During the Soviet Union, going out to a restaurant was a much bigger deal than in the US. Restaurants tended to have live music, dancing, and drinks, and were a bit like what restaurant/lounges were in the US in the 20s and 30s, a place to spend an evening eating, dancing, and having fun. The whole experience was itself an interactive performance. At the other end of the eating spectrum, it is easy to find “fast food” on the street (shawermas, pirozhki, tea) which you can buy at little stands either right on the street, or inside quick-assembled 20 by 20 box walk-thru’s.
The difference between the US and Russia in this regard, is what is in between those ends of the spectrum. In America, the food-stands on the street began to develop into something more like a sit-down restaurant: street-stands expanded into diners, McDonalds, Friendlys, etc. And with the latest iteration of chains (Applebee’s, Chili’s, and TGIF) it is relatively easy and affordable for American families to have a family dining experience outside the home. In addition to those American eateries, because of America’s ethnic diversity, there still are plenty of Chinese, Italian, Greek, and Japanese places to choose from.
In Russia, the development of this middle-class dining experience happened much later. To some degree this is actually a good thing, because the institution of cooking and eating at home have remained much stronger, not watered down as they are in the US by pizza delivery and drive-thrus. However, in addition to the numerous Japanese places in Russia today, there is a growing number of “buffet-chains” which offer traditional Russian food at decent prices. But after you walk through the buffet line, it is up to you to find a place to sit amidst the crowds of teenagers who seem to perpetually be there.
This Chinese restaurant was a clear descendant of the Soviet-style restaurant tradition. Instead of hearing the faint strings of a Chinese national instrument, we heard the pounding euro-techno/pop from the dance floor in the next room over. From my position at our table, I could see the flashing lights illuminating the uniquely Russian dancing moves of the middle-aged women who felt compelled to dance after their Chinese dinner. I can’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want to take a nap, let alone dance, after eating a full Chinese dinner. Maybe they don’t use MSG in Russia.
During our meal, my ear caught the word “Amerika” from one of the songs from the next room. Listening more closely, all I could make out was something about “Strategic Aviation” and the US. Fr. Alexander noticed me listening with a confused look on my face, and leaned over and said, “This is the song about the USSR Strategic Aviation Command! It was a hit back in the 80’s!” At that, I could only sit back and smile, and be thankful for the unique dining experience that is the Russian Restaurant.
