It’s not every city that boasts a bicycle-themed tavern with a menu of authentic Russian comfort foods. And it’s not every Russian eatery that does up pelmeni like HandleBar does. Here, the traditional Russian dumplings are filled with pork, submerged in vegetable stock, and topped with sour cream and seasonal greens. The dough of the dumpling and the hearty pork filling make for a satisfying, chewy dish, but the rich stock and bright sour cream take it to another level. It’s so filling and delicious, you might start to wonder if your mother’s hiding in the tavern kitchen.
HandleBar, 4127 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.652.2212, handlebarstl.com
This article appears in April 2013.