VILNIUS - In Your Pocket

NEW
Uzbekistanas A-1, Vienuolio 4, tel. (+370) 5 261 04
29. A truly welcome addition to Vilnius’ restaurant scene,
Uzbekistanas operates on the posher end of the décor
scale but stays true to the cuisine of the country the place
is named after. The only problem here is knowing what
to choose, either because Uzbek food has passed you
by entirely or because every dish demands to be eaten.
Amidst a fine selection of items on the menu including a
chayhana plov that needs to be ordered 90 minutes in
advance alongside the more usual plov we went for the
lagman, a spicy lamb and noodle soup that’s almost a
meal in itself and a plate of manti, essentially oversized
ravioli with soured cream that were both prepared and
cooked to perfection. It’s a bit pricey here, but well worth
the expense. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00.
25Lt. PTJAUVEBSW
Vegetarian
Balti Drambliai B-3, Vilniaus 41, tel. (+370) 5 262 08
75. Struggle down a set of wobbly medieval steps to a cacophony
of sitars and whale songs to be served a range of average
vegetarian fare from a menu that regularly changes colour but
more or less stays the same otherwise by waitresses whose
cigarette breaks often bring them back inside with big grins on
their faces. Welcome to the crazy world of Balti Drambliai (White
Elephants), the restaurant that didn’t put the hip in hippy but
that’s worth a visit all the same. The food’s cheap and perfectly
safe, and the live music and parties can be fun, especially when
it’s warm outside and they open up their legendary terrace.
QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 02:00,
Sun 12:00 - 24:00. 15Lt. PJABW
Raw42 B-5, Rūdninkų 12, tel. (+370) 659 530 29,
www.raw42.lt. Recently popping up in another little
triangle of Vilnius currently making something of a name
for itself, the food stretches beyond sandwiches and they
even offer short courses in making food. Very trendy and
very welcome, note that none of the food is cooked at a
temperature higher that +42°C. QOpen 11:00 - 21:00,
Sun 11:00 - 18:00. 10Lt. JNBS
Raw Raw C-2, Totorių 3, tel. (+370) 699 520 22, www.
rawraw.lt. Recently upping sticks and moving to far more
sensible location, Raw Raw is a slightly misleading name
because they use ovens, although the bread is dried not
cooked. That aside, what they do produce is good healthy
food made from unprocessed ingredients. The menu is fairly
extensive and includes everything from vitamin-packed salads
to pasta dishes made from vegetables. Also a good selection
of freshly squeezed fruit juices. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun
11:00 - 18:00. 15Lt. PTJABS
Vegafé C-4, Augustijonų 2/13, tel. (+370) 659 770
72. An excellent little addition to Vilnius’ small selection
of vegetarian restaurants, this one features an impressive
menu of dishes made from fresh ingredients and with a nod
in the general direction of Asia. The freshly squeezed fruit
juices are especially good here and the food comes in all
shapes and sizes from simple snacks to full blown meals.
Also at Totorių 3. QOpen 11:00 - 21:30. 11Lt. JS
Vieta B-3, Šv. Ignoto 12-1, tel. (+370) 687 134 75.
It’s all funny haircuts, constant references to ganja and
A Tribe Called Quest inside Vilnius’ newest vegetarian
restaurant. Friendly if your face fits and good value for
money, the food’s basic but edible, although writing the
menu on one of the tablecloths is a bit silly. QOpen 11:00
- 02:00. 10Lt. TJW
vilnius.inyourpocket.com
restaurants
August - November 2012
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