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Slaviya

New kid on the Eastern Bloc

Even when re-inventing yourself, it's best to hold onto the one thing that worked before, like Heidi from The Hills reworking her face and body, but keeping her witty repartee and sense of perspective. Completely changing everything, except for that one good thing: Slaviya.

Now soft-opened in AdMo, Slaviya's a wide-open, sunlit restaurant n' lounge full of Eastern European food, drink, and atmosphere, lined with large mirrors, textured beige walls, and a behind-the-bar DJ booth; the whole shebang's from the Serbian/Russian/Bulgarian owners of the space's previous inhabitant, Left Bank, who realized they needed a completely new concept to keep the business afloat, but decided to retain their "well-appreciated" brunch menu, loyalty that absolves them of becoming Eggs Benedict Arnolds. The grub's appropriately Baltic, with apps like the Serbian feta/paprika/boiled egg yolk spread "Urnebes", meatyness like marinated beef tongue and garlic-sauce-sauteed Chicken Divaka, and "from the grill" goodness like the pork/beer meatballs Kyufte, pork sausage Karnache, and Dimnena Veshalitza, a pork loin "grilled Serbian style", meaning in a dark, soundproof room without a lawyer present. Booze's served at a massive central three-sided bar or now-full back bar (formerly a sushi setup), and includes Bulgarian brews like Zagorka and Shumasko, and a vodka-heavy specialty cocktail list with highlights like the pear-infused "Krushov" martini, and an overnight-macerated fruit and vodka concoction called the "Poison Ivy", because the only thing more sinister than a drink named after a Cold War villain is raising the specter of Batman & Robin.

To prove there ain't no party like a Balkan party, they're also bringing in special international musical guests intermittently, kicking things off this Saturday night with Morandi, who won "Best Romanian Act" at the 2008 MTV Europe Awards, an honor Heidi was gunning for, until she level-headedly realized her cheekbones were Macedonian!

ExhortAdd this to My Thrillist

ExhortThere's some pretty sweet, pretty Eastern European other stuff on the menu; check it out, here

Slaviya (Emailed on May 4, 2010)

2424 18th St NW; Adams Morgan; 202.464.2100

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