RusUz is a new Russian-Uzbek (as in Uzbekistan) restaurant operated by an Uzbek family and located in Arlington (just two blocks from the Ballston Metro). While you can get Russian food in DC, both at the veteran Russia House and the just-opened Mari Varna, Uzbek is another matter. In fact, I couldn't even guess before going what the food would be like. The answer, it turns out, is "like Russian, but different." RusUz offers the best of both worlds, and the best was quite good. We started with three appetizers: Olivier Salad (Russian potato salad), Vinaigrette Salad (a variety of diced vegetables, pickled and not, with olive oil), and the amusingly named "Fish Under A Fur Coat," which is Herring covered with potatoes, carrots, beets, eggs, and mayonnaise. How do those toppings add up to a Fur Coat, and why would anyone think fish covered in fur would sound appetizing? I can't answer, but my Russian and Uzbek friends swore the dish is traditional and much-loved, and the RusUz version was quite tasty. The Olivier Salad was hearty but less exciting, while the Vinaigrette Salad was delicious and more interesting than its description. I'd try any of the appetizers again.
The main courses, which we shared family style, were all (1) huge and (2) very good. I could add (3) meat-centric, as virtually every main has meat, and often quite a lot of it. We tried the Manti (large steamed dumplings stuffed with lamb), the Plov (traditional rice and vegetable dish with a nice crisp crust), the Goluptsi, which are cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef and rice, and a dish I can't find on their website, which was fried pasta with chunks of beef. All of the above were worth trying, and the Manti and Plov were particularly good. (The description of the Manti also made me laugh, and seemed perfectly Soviet: "Dumplings with your choice of Lamb.") My favorite though was the Mystery Pasta dish, which is apparently an Uzbek standard, even if it seems more at home in Sicily than Tashkent. Perhaps the difference lies in the preparation; the noodles seem to be boiled, seasoned, then fried until semi-crisp, and are covered in a slightly spicy sauce I couldn't identify but really loved. As with most of RusUz's offerings, it was a bit heavy but addictive to the point where I had to hide my fork to stop eating. (That saved me until the next morning, when I inhaled the leftovers in two minutes flat).
The RusUz menu isn't cutting edge, but it offers a unique (in this area) insight into a different culture and cuisine. The restaurant is also nicely, if simply, decorated, and the wait staff could not be more friendly or happy to discuss their homeland and menu. RusUz is also shockingly affordable; five of us tried most of the menu for $90, with food to spare. One more note: although RusUz has a bar, they have no liquor license yet, so they're BYOB. Not great if you want cocktails (although you could shake your own!), but perfect for wine and beer lovers who want to save some money. read more