Tasting Home: Dining at the New York restaurant favored by Russian NHL stars

Wild defenseman Jake Middleton was invited to dine by Russian NHL star Kirill Kaprizov, and they spent an evening at Mari Vanna, a Russian restaurant in New York. The restaurant offers a taste of home for Russian-born NHL players as the menu is cooked and served by Russian staff, and the decor is nostalgic and reminiscent of old Russia. The restaurant is a quiet treasure trove, as it is owned by the Ginza Project, with three different locations. NHL players, including Mikhail Sergachev, Nikita Kucherov, and Andrei Vasilevskiy have visited, and they feel like the restaurant is similar to being back home. Mari Vanna serves traditional Russian dishes and infused vodka shots. Everyone, including non-Russians, loves dining at Mari Vanna. The restaurant also has a family-owned feel, with the head chef greeting guests with an embrace and off-menu options. On a one November night, both Jake Middleton and the author dined at the Mari Vanna Restaurant and experienced the unique authentic flavors and the atmosphere of the restaurant. They enjoyed traditional dishes like borscht and dumplings, and the ambiance felt nostalgic, in a good way. They also described the unique feature of the restaurant, which is publicly signing specially designed plates that are displayed and include signatures of other celebrities, including Russian hockey stars.

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Photo credit theathletic.com