Photograph by Catherine Viox
Step into Sudova and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another world. The design revolves around a tapestry by the bar, a beautiful piece made in Ukraine and discovered on Etsy. It showcases a stag framed by trees, giving the restaurant the aesthetic of a secret woodland garden. The patio, dotted with plants and pleasantly shaded, hides behind a gate like a doorway to something magical.
Photograph by Catherine Viox
Inside, refracted light from the street meets the shadowed skylights’ reserved glow, illuminating verdant green upholstery and dark wooden furniture. Stained glass from Wooden Nickel Antiques inspired the custom-made bar, and the sconces, the primary source of artificial light, were rescued from the Schulte Mansion before demolition. The overall effect is like sitting down in a friendly forest with a little castle that may or may not be enchanted. It’s a step removed from the rest of the city, just a few yards away.
Owner Sarah Dworak packed a lot into her latest venture. She began introducing fresh takes on eastern European cuisine to the dining scene via the now-defunct Wodka Bar, and while everyone loved its pierogi window, Dworak wanted to offer more. Sudova gave her the literal space to spread her wings with far more seating and a built-out kitchen.
The frustration of summarizing Sudova is that everything, from small plates to cocktails, warrants individual review. Unfortunately, there is no stomach deep enough or column long enough to do it all justice. The good news is, you can try more than you think, especially if you bring lots of friends.
The restaurant offers the family-style equivalent of a tasting menu. Portions are designed to share without any single dish filling you up, and while there’s enough for everyone, each plate will leave you wanting more. The advantage is that if you’re trying something new, you can take it on a casual date instead of marrying at first sight. If you fall in love, don’t worry. You can get your favorites as takeout tomorrow.
Photograph by Catherine Viox
The Wodka Bar lives on through the drinks list. Colorful names link to old tales, and the servers are happy to run for their notebooks if you ask for the story. The Rusalka, Straw Ox, and Mavka all refer to folktales and myths. If you want to try something truly legendary, go for the savory cocktail named in honor of Perun, the highest Slavic deity and god of lightning. Imagine the Axe of Perun (pepperoncini vodka, vermouth, olive, and pickle brine) as the refined, European cousin of the pickle back. The first, punchy hit is all dill, but soft olive notes conduct you smoothly through to your old friend, vermouth. The drink finishes with a lingering, peppery
kick that ensures you appreciate the entire experience. It is a little, as the name suggests, like being struck by lightning, and it prepares guests for the small plates.
Recipes for the halushki, holubsti, and rye varenyky come straight from Dworak’s baba (grandmother) and they are the jewels in Sudova’s crown. The halushki (caramelized cabbage and onion, brown butter, and Linnea’s spaetzle) smells like a memory from a family dinner, even though this never graced any of my grandparents’ tables. The vegetables are tender, and the spaetzle’s soft texture supports its partners’ natural sweetness. The aroma alone had my party trying to guess what spices it contained, but the conversation died after the first bite thanks to the power of good food.
The holubsti (baba’s stuffed cabbage rolls and tomato sauce) features ground beef and pork from Black Hawk Farms delicately seasoned for a savory balance against the surprisingly sweet tomato sauce. The cabbage holds everything together without getting in the way, and the combined flavors are startling when you expect an Italian-American-style sauce. You eat with your eyes, and Sudova pulls a fast one on your expectations.
There are two types of dumplings on the menu. Both are worth the trip, though the rye varenyky (potato, sauerkraut, caramelized onion, and dill sour cream) shine brightest. Varenyky is the Ukrainian word for pierogi, and Dworak’s work lives up to her reputation. The exterior is so soft it almost disappears into the potato-based filling. Onion, dill, and sauerkraut build a rich, complex base to support the rye seeds, so every mouthful is saturated with the full harmony of flavors.
Photograph by Catherine Viox
The pelmeni (salt cod and potato brandade, and caviar beurre blanc) dresses miniature dumplings in a vividly tasty sauce. The combo hits salty, sweet, savory, and umami beats without missing a step, embracing everything the salted cod has to offer in a way that made me actually enjoy salted cod. The khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread, sulguni, bryndza, egg yolk, and khmeli-suneli) is the easiest large plate to share. The long, boat-shaped bread cradles the toppings with a light, chewy texture. Beware: The cheese goes deeper than you’d expect, and it’s heavy enough to prematurely end your meal.
If you want to keep a main dish to yourself, the kotleta is a great choice. The kefir-brined fried chicken is wide, thin, and a bit denser than expected, almost like a tonkatsu. Like the sweet tomato sauce, it’s unexpected but not unwelcome. The dill sauce shouts out Sudova’s favorite herb, and snap peas link everything with a pop of sweetness.
Photograph by Catherine Viox
Made it to dessert? Congratulations. The medovik will see you now. Fastidiously thin layers of cake sandwich generous layers of cream in a towering stack that tastes like summer and feels like clouds. The recipe on the menu changes seasonally, and lemon poppy-seed replaced the original strawberry and wildflower honey version.
Everything is prettier than it has a right to be. Most small plates arrive dressed in herbs from Dark Wood Farm and culinary flower petals, deepening the illusion that you’ve stopped for dinner at some grandmother’s cottage deep in the woods, and she’s just picked something fresh from the garden. You should feel grateful that you don’t have to go over the hills and through the woods to get it.
Sudova, 22 W. Court St., downtown, (513) 407-7974
Hours: Dinner Tues–Sat 5–10 p.m.
Prices: $11 (green borsch)–$42 (kulebiaka)
Credit Cards: All major
The Takeaway: An enchanting journey through Ukrainian cuisine hiding in plain sight on Court Street.
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