Kapitan Slavic Ukrainian restaurant

Let’s take a dine-in today visiting the Kapitan Slavic Ukrainian/Russian restaurant at Tanjong Pagar. The restaurant offers a curated offering of Eastern Europe. The establishment offers a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that transports you to a different part of the world, with warm and inviting decor, featuring traditional Slavic motifs and artifacts that enhance the dining experience. Let’s check it out.

The Slavic restaurant is located at Maxwell Chambers near Tanjong Pagar Guoco tower and Maxwell market. It is rather accessible and a short walk away from Tanjong Pagar MRT station. You are greeted by the friendly and attentive staff, service is fast and your food comes out promptly and courteous, adding to the overall positive experience.

Restaurant interior itself is not large, with its interior is decorated with traditional Slavic elements, including high table wooden furniture seating, and folk art. With high ceilings and space for about 8-10 tables on high chairs. The ambience is soft and warm, dimly lit, creating a cosy and intimate atmosphere that is perfect for a relaxing meal. Also, the interior of the restaurant has a maritime feel to it.

It tad reminds you of the Mariners corner restaurant we visited previously. It spots a rather industrial theming with brick walls lined with pipes and a bar backlit in red light. Interestingly, if you are seated at a table near one of the wall-lined ship windows, there is a light switch you can press to turn the image on.

Also, on my visit, the restaurant also some Slavic entertainment like music and traditional Russian cartoons, like Well, Just You Wait! featuring a wolf and rabbit cartoon characters. Also, the restaurant is also decorated with trinkets of Russian novelty items and toys, such as Russian dolls, and appliances like phones and radios.

Decorative trinkets

Art murals

Russian cartoons

What’s on the menu

The menu at Kapitan Slavic is extensive, offering a wide range of traditional Ukrainian and Russian main dishes, starters and a section devoted to their dumplings (Pelmeni). Furthermore, recommended main dish staples includes their Beef stroganoff ($27). It is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef in a sauce of mustard and smetana. The stroganoff has its origins in mid-19th-century Tsarist Russia.

Also, the slow-cooked sirloin strips are served topped with forest mushroom, sitting on top of a bed of potato mash. The beef strips are soft and tender, and goes well with firm mushrooms. Though I found the food portions tad bit too small for my liking and by European standards.

Moreover, the Chicken Tabaka ($25) is one of the more familiar menu options. It is roast chicken served with potatoes which is more British inspired than Slavic, with Georgian Cornish hen served with seasonal vegetables sides. The roasted chicken is tender and juicy, with the buttery filling adding a rich, savoury flavour.

Also, an interesting dish is the Uzbek Plov ($29). It also known by the restaurant as the Ang Moh Biryani, catering more for fusion local tastes and is one of the more filling dishes on offer here. Here you can small grain rice cooked in the typical east Asian flavour aromatic style and served with red snapper fish, slow roast lamb and sides of sliced tomatoes.

Additionally, meat selections include a German-inspired Pork Knuckle. Also, for the hungry, their meat platter ($105) is one for sharing comprising of a mix of favourite staples such as pork knuckle, chicken tabaika, lamb and sausages. Also, notable missing from the restaurant menu is another favourite cutlet (or kolet) Kiev dishes which comes in pork or chicken variants.

The Ang Moh Biryani

Fries to share

Dumplings (Pelmeni) to share

Dumplings selections

Their dumplings also take a recommendation, also known as Pelmeni. It is another must-try dish is, a type of dumpling that is filled with minced meat of your choosing. Also, the dumplings are boiled soft and served with a generous side helping of sour cream. Interestingly, unlike your typical “Siao long bao”, Pelemeni has a much thicker skin which does not break easily. You get 5 dumpling pieces per plate. They are tender and flavourful, with the sour cream adding a nice tangy contrast to the savoury filling.

Notably, dumplings are European as much as they are an Asian favourite. It is also a staple Slavic dish and a common dish in Europe, we enjoyed it during our trip to Poland and is not exclusive to Russian cuisine. The dumping are offered in variety of flavours with five salmon dumplings going for ($14), while fillings of beef, pork and chicken all priced at $12 for a plate as well as, which is a mix Siberian of mix of beef and pork.

Rye bread

Beef slices

Chunky pork meat

Try their Borscht soup

Moreover, on starters, additionally, to start your meal, there is a selection of hot and cold soups, as well as rye bread, served with a side of jam. One of the standout dishes at Kapitan is the Borscht soup ($14). Though pricey for a bowl of soup, it is a highlight dish here comprising of beetroot pork with pork chunks topped with sour cream. I found the flavours are authentic, and is a warm comfort food best enjoyed in the cold Russian winters. Borscht is a simple and nutritious soup made to feed the masses cheaply. It is a beetroot soup that is both hearty and flavourful. The soup has a dark red rich colour and earthy flavour topped by a dollop of sour cream. It is served with a slice of dark rye bread, perfect for dipping into the soup.

It is tad reminiscent of the Borscht we had during our last explorations to Moscow Russia, albeit much smaller portions and much more expensive. Also, the Okroshka ($12) is more of an odd cold dish, a cooling summer soup of chopped veggies, potato and ham. Also, the mushroom and Rosti is a great dish for sharing.

Dishes for sharing

For sharing, Rosti, also known as Draniki ($25) are good sharing starters, crispy potato rosti pancakes topped with smoked salmon, and sautéed mushrooms. You are served with 3 pieces you can split, though the dish can get rather messy at times. Eggplant Rigatoni ($19), charred eggplant stew with Adjika is an odd yet interesting dish, though the taste might not be for everybody.

Authentic Slavic Desserts and alcohol

Wrapping up with desserts, a recommendation is their Medovik honey cake ($14). It is an 8-layer honey cake, synonymous to kuay lapis layered cake. Served with dressings of strawberries and chocolate sauce. On their bar options, also the restaurant also offers a variety of beverages to complement your meal.

The selection includes cocktails, and even Russian beer by the can costing $16 a pop. There are also traditional Slavic drinks such as Kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye bread, and Kompot, a sweet fruit drink. These beverages are refreshing and provide a nice contrast to the rich flavours of the food.

Also, one of the highlights of visiting Kapitan’s is the opportunity to learn more about Slavic culture. The staff is happy to share information about the dishes and their cultural significance. This adds an educational aspect to your dining experience, making it both enjoyable and informative. Though Kapitan being of Ukraine origin, you can tell that that the restaurant is trying to distance themselves from being called a Russian restaurant, identifying more as Ukrainian or the more generic Slavic term.

All in all, that wraps up our dine-in here at Kapitan Slavic Ukrainian/Russian restaurant. The place offers tad, a unique and enjoyable dining experience for a taste of Slavic cuisine. The combination of authentic food, friendly service, and a cosy atmosphere makes it place worthy of a shortlist to explore curated flavours of Eastern Europe. Whether you are a fan of Slavic cuisine or just trying it for the first time, you are sure to have a memorable meal at Kapitan.

This review is not sponsored by the establishment nor did they provide any editorial input or reimbursements into the content and outcome of this review. All meals were paid for in full out of my own pocket as a regular and anonymous patron.