Hey guys! -Hey!
We’re in Minsk, Belarus.
Of course, we have to try some Belarusian food
so we’re standing outside the restaurant.
We’re going to head inside and eat.
We’re at a restaurant called Vasilki
and this is a chain restaurant in Belarus
and it was recommended by a new local friend, that’s so nice to say.
Who said that this was just a great place to come for traditional kind of Belarusian food,
which is, of course, exactly what we’re here to try.
Our first dish has just arrived and it’s a soup called solyanka.
And it’s made with ham, tongue, sausages,
salami and smoked beef,
potatoes, onions, pickled cucumbers and olives and served with a slice of lemon.
So my first Belarusian meal here.
Ooh, there’s a lot of bits in here.
Mmm!
Oh that’s really nice.
It looks really hearty.
Mmm.
Lots of different flavours.
I can see why in the cold weather, when it’s kind of dark outside,
this would just be the perfect thing to cozy up with.
Mmm.
And the lemon is really nice.
We’re off to a very good start.
I also just have to point out how pretty this bowl and plate is.
I feel like there are so many beautiful kind of folk designs here in Belarus.
Take a look at the flag if you haven’t seen it by the way.
Look at how nice that is.
It’s beautiful.
Yeah.
It always makes it taste better when it comes in something that looks that good.
Possibly the number one thing that you will hear to try in Belarus is draniki
and they are potato pancakes.
And of course there are lots of similarities with foods in this part of the world
because of the history here.
But this is the Belarusian kind of traditional way of having potato pancakes.
And the gravy is made with fried sausage from pork, chicken and bacon
and, of course, a dollop of sour cream.
So, dig in.
So we’ve got the pancake.
Oh…that is some thick, thick gravy.
I guess they don’t call it traditional thick gravy for nothing.
This is thick.
Mmm.
Oh god that’s good.
I don’t know on what planet it wouldn’t be good.
It’s potato with gravy.
Thick gravy.
Second bite just to make sure.
I’m going to try it with sour cream this time.
Mmm.
It’s so good.
Draniki for the win.
Alright another soup has come out.
It’s cabbage soup with mushrooms and ribs.
It’s also served with black bread, green onions, sour cream and salted bacon,
which I’m super excited about.
So I can’t wait to dig into this.
First official bite of Belarusian food. -First official bite.
Mmm.
Oh such a nice flavour.
Although I wonder if I’m supposed to put the bacon in the soup.
I don’t really know how it’s done.
Just freestyle.
Belarusians, let me know.
Am I doing this wrong?
See?
I just chucked the bacon on there.
Mmm!
Happy man!
Happy man.
Mmm.
New favourite soup.
Man like bacon.
Man like bacon!
It just feels so hearty.
Yeah.
Like the dark bread with the cabbage and it’s cold outside.
It’s the best.
You love the bacon flavour but for me it’s all about the cabbage.
Love the cabbage.
Another main has arrived.
This is called babka
and it translates in English to potatoes with shank.
And it’s served, of course, with sour cream.
And also cracklings and fried onion.
And by the way, these are all dishes that were recommended by our new local friend.
And it’s just so much fun when you’re in a new country,
well anywhere really, to just order like a table full of new things and share them.
Don’t you think?
Oh yes.
This is the best.
I have absolutely no idea what this is going to taste like.
Either way, it looks fun to dig into.
Wow!
Look at that texture.
Thick, squidgy, bouncy potato texture.
Look at that.
Mmm!
That’s my favourite.
Yeah?
That’s my favourite.
Wait til you try this.
Okay.
The texture is so good.
It’s like the most comforting possible potato dish I can imagine.
Oh my god that’s good!
And it has that…you know when you have, I don’t know, French onion soup or shepherd’s pie
and it’s in a personal little bowl and you have to sort of crack the top?
I don’t know.
There’s just something about that that I really enjoy.
That is good.
Marc…you know what I said about sharing?
Not…it’s off the table?
I’m rethinking it now.
We might need to order another babka.
Fine, then the draniki’s all mine.
I love anything that’s warm, comes in a bowl,
topped with like a crusty, I don’t even know, flaky pastry-like top.
Yeah.
Super cozy.
So cozy.
Oh my god.
I kind of want to order another one.
We might need t-shirts that say I ♥︎ Babka.
I heart babka!
Team Babka.
If you’re on Team Babka, let us know in the comments.
This is a drink I got really excited to order when we saw it on the menu.
It’s birch juice,
something I have never tried before
and apparently it’s quite an acquired taste.
This got really popular back in the Soviet Union in the postwar years
when it was more difficult to find nutritious foods
because birch juice has vitamins in it.
It’s supposed to be really good for your hair, for your skin
and I have not tried it.
So here we go.
Cheers!
Cheers.
Oh!
It’s actually a much more mild taste than I expected.
It almost…
It’s actually very mild.
I was a little bit…everyone kept saying, ‘oh you’ve got to try birch juice — it’s crazy!’
But it almost has a little bit of a coconut water taste.
Oh yum.
Not so sweet…not as sweet.
More of a neutral flavour but it also looks a little like coconut water…coconut water.
Oh that’s lovely.
Cuz it’s not as popular now because, you know, we have pop and juice
and there are a lot more choices obviously.
And coconut water.
I like this.
Turns out I’m a birch juice fan.
Does my hair look shinier?
It does.
Fast acting!
Cheers!
We all knew that we weren’t leaving Belarus without trying Belarusian dessert.
That wasn’t happening.
I’d have to be escorted across the border.
So - to make sure that we can leave peacefully -
we got nalisniki.
This is pancakes served hot, stuffed with apples and cinnamon.
Sour cream...I was about to say sour cream!
No.
Everything else is served with sour cream. -Quit thinking about sour cream!
This is vanilla ice cream.
I mean it wouldn’t surprise me if it was sour cream to be honest.
You would love it.
I probably would.
I would try it. -Let’s be honest.
And then they have like this caramel sauce and icing sugar.
Alright, dig in there.
Okay.
That looks so yummy.
Okay look at the apple in here.
Oooh!
That looks so good.
Marc’s favourite dessert is apple crisp.
Yup.
That’s fair to say I think, right?
Basically apple pie…anything with apple.
Anything with apple.
Yeah.
Is there anything apples can’t do?
Mmm.
I mean…it’s pancake with apple and cinnamon.
And ice cream.
Nalisniki…I love you.
Team Nalisniki.
Team Babka…
Team Babka...Team Nalisniki.
Which team are you on?
We’ll make two t-shirts.
Or front and back.
You’re looking at it so lovingly.
I know.
Before you even try it.
Mmm.
Nothing like warm apple…nalisniki.
Mmm!
Nalisniki dance.
Belarusian feast complete.
It was so wonderful.
New favourites for me…babka and nalisniki.
Oh!
Yes. -Those were my favourites for sure.
But if you’ve tried these foods if you’re from Belarus,
tell us what your favourites are
or if there are other foods that you think that we should try.
I’m sure there’s tons of ones that we didn’t even try.
I’m sure there are.
And also if this was new to you like it was for us,
I would love to hear what you thought of these foods
and which one looked the best to you.
So…let us know.
Are you Team Babka or Team Nalisniki?
Nalisniki.
I’m both, I can’t lie.
Yeah.
Anyway, we’re going to digest, probably waddle out of here.
I hope that you enjoyed the video.
Make sure you give it a thumbs up if you did
and subscribe for lots more travel adventures and food
and we’ll see you in our next video.
Bye!