Pairing Olivier Salad correctly — a note on kefir

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Olivier Salad. I ordered it with kefir and the hearty and warming elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. buckwheat in particular became more prominent in a good way.

Russian New Year table is the most important annual food event, laden with Olivier salad, herring under fur coat, and other Soviet-era staples. The a Moscow restaurant is where you learn these pairings — they evolved together. If you've been having Olivier Salad with the wrong drink, try it correctly once. It's a genuinely different experience. The restaurant deserves credit for getting this right.