Sasha's Gourmet Russian Market

UPDATE: 6/3/2011 What a difference a couple months can make. Shelves have been re-organized, the entire shop has been swept clean, and there isn't a SINGLE expired item in the place. A freezer is now full of some good, high quality pirogi. Another is full of kosher Polish and Russian desserts and other delights. The deli fridge is stocked with a good selection of various sausages and meats, some imported. Finally, the fridges are full of hard-to-get cheeses and other direct fresh imports. So, in short .. a full restock, a cleanout of old (or expired items), a massive spring cleaning, and a thorough scrubbing. WELL DONE SASHAS CAFE! That's what I call 'turning it around' ???????, ???? ???? ------------------------- How does this place stay in business? I went looking for piroshki's and Sasha's was the only 'hit' on citysearch in Austin. The food on the shelves isn't just 'a little' expired. Some of it has been sitting there for YEARS. It's not just the frozen and canned goods either. Caviar that is two years out of date, frozen items that have long since perished of freezer burn, and even 'fresh boxed' items were, upon closer inspection, also out of date. This store needs a visit by the local health authorities, an airing out, a full restock, and a new owner. I don't think anything less will fix the problems here. more

I lived in Moscow 3.5 years and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for 6 months. I can honestly say that Sasha's has the 1) worst selection, 2) highest prices and 3) customer service reminiscent of pre-Peristroyka. more

Many of my friends stopped shopping there years ago, and finally I joined their ranks and now take advantage of rare visits to Houston to buy Russian food and souvenirs. Prices are high, and quality is the worst of any Russian store I've visited over the years. Some savvy recent immigrants from Russia can tell when candy is fresh and when not to buy, but for a more inexperienced shopper, there is a high chance of ending up with stale products. Sasha doesn't seem to care about repeat business, he wants to sell what's on his shelves at any cost. If your child pokes a finger into some package and dents the sweet roll while you are looking away, you will find it added to your bill. And beware of specials: ""buy 3, get one free"" doesn't mean ""buy 6, you'll get two free"". No more Sasha for me, I'll wait for another trip to Houston, where there is healthy competition and stores have to win their customers. Pros: the only Russian food store in Austin Cons: expired food, poor customer service more

I am writing this review only to agree with all previous NEGATIVE ones, and to make sure the stream of reminders about this place's expired products does not stop until ""Sasha"", whoever he is, stops this BS. I wonder how they actually survive given that the reputation of a store with food gone bad long ago is pretty solidly established in this case. Probably, all those little Russian grandmas refuse to use HEB, trusting their compatriots. I wish they realized the ""compatriots"" not only do not give a c**p about them, but actually try to end their days before the date God intended. Cons: EXPIRED FOOD more

I loved visiting this store, but after coming home I bit into a piece of chocolate and found a (still wriggling) maggot inside :( I will never eat any chocolate from here again!!!!!!! Cons: MAGGOTS more

The only thing I missed when I left New Jersey was good Polish food, specifically kielbasa and pierogi. I consider myself lucky to have found Sasha's. Though the place markets itself as a Russian deli, I've only ever purchased the Polish food in their grocery section. The also have a small eatery which I've not yet tried, so I can't speak for it. However, if you're looking for real kielbasa, this is the place. They get it from a Polish deli in Chicago. The potato and cheese pierogi are also authentic. The kraut stuffed pierogi was also good, but a little different from what I'm used to. The stuffed cabbage, Russian-style, is very tasty, too! Check them out!!! Pros: Great grocery section for Eastern European food Cons: Parking not so good more

I actually reported this place to Better Business B a couple of years back for selling expired products.. I bought a can of caviar ( $12 for small can !) and when I opened it at home, it was covered in mold inside.. I looked at expiration date and it expired 2! years ago. They moved from Balcones dr and I decided to check out the new location- dirty, borcht tastes ewww ( there suppose to be meat in it, people!) didnt even bother checking expiration dates but looks like the never stopped selling expired product based on comments in other reviews.. Cons: Everything more

Even though I have not experienced the cafe potion of the deli, the products in stock are plentiful and authentic. As with any establishment that purveys exotic foods, the shelf turnover must be watched, but I have yet to see an expired product. The store is clean and the service is excellent. The owner/operator speaks perfect English is always willing to educate on the products he carries. more

Look, Sasha's is a lot like most Russian eateries throughout the country: impolite staff, overpriced food, unappealing atmosphere. It's no wonder Americans have yet to lean just how wonderful Russian cuisine can be when places like Sasha's peddle poor quality products and a premium price. For those of you who are real Russian foodies, I recommend that you get some good recipes and make your own food. Don't waste your time waiting for overpriced food and impolite service. Cons: Everything more

It i a shame that the only Russian store in the city does not care about it's customers . Sasha sells old and expired product, which is sitting on the shelves probably for years. We bought candy and other sweets recently for our week-end guests, and when i opened the sweets they were covered in nasty white dust and smelled just awful. Sasha has been selling bad product for a long time, he has a lot off complaints from the Russian community. This place is no good!!! more

I went in the other day, the restaurant smelled bad and was dirty. I purchesed a few bags of chocolate covered pretzels and when I got home the chocolate was covered in white powder....old. when I looked at the exp. date they were over a yr expired. Overpriced place, dusty...I'm sure stuff has been sitting on their shelves for quite sometime. No need to go back and not reccommended. The owner was on the phone the whole time and the the other associate ignored me 'till I went up to her with questions, never again. I think the Health Food Dept. needs to stop in soon! more

I had high hopes when we went to Sasha's for the first time. The market looked very impressive and the menu, while very limited, looked appealing. Now for the string of disappointments. The arrangement of five tables in a very small area in front of a large-screen TV was not conducive to fine dining. The menu items were overpriced for the amount of food provided (e.g., $4 for a scoop of potato salad). The borscht was supposed to contain beef , but didn't, and when it was reported to the manager, he reported that the cook had forgotten to put it in. He apologized and offer to comp us desserts in return. Two pastries had diced mushrooms OR crumbled meat, but no reason why just one or the other. Vegetarians and carnivores would have appreciated knowing the difference ahead of time. I ordered golabki but got pierogi. I took it back and asked for golabki. Ten minutes later, I asked again for my golabki. Ten minutes later, everyone else in my group had finished eating and I still didn't have my golabki, so I went up to the cashier and asked explicitly for my golabki. It came a few minutes later and I hurridly ate it. It was tasty and hot, but my appetite was ruined and (as previously mentioned) the cost to quantity ratio was problematic. The area was by then packed full of people for a movie showing that night, and the manager was nowhere to be seen, so we gave up on getting our desserts and left. I doubt that we'll ever go back, which is a real shame, as I love ethnic eateries in general and the staff was very polite, but lousy atmosphere, lousy communication, good (but not great) food and marginal overpricing is too much to take again. Pros: Large food market, ethnic selection Cons: seating, ambience, prices, customer service more

We stopped by Sasha's to pick up pirozhkis for an international potluck based on a recommendation from a friend. They are in a brand new building on Rockwood next to a Brazilian store. I think they may have moved from the location mentioned in the other review. We were a little disoriented by the maze of imported foods at the entrance, but the delicious smell of the food drew us to the back where you order meals from the counter. We decided to stay for lunch and ordered two kinds of crepes- salmon and ham/cheese. They were extremely fresh and amazingly good. We will definitely go out of our way to have lunch there again. Pros: Great food and deli selections. Cons: A bit cozy. more

Only my mother's cabbage rolls compare to Irina's cabbage rolls. These were marinated with just the right amount of spices, and they were full of meat. The store is full exotic and wonderful treats that can't be found anywhere else in Austin. They also carry an extensive collection of Russian books, CD's and DVD's. It is a treat to just visit Sasha's. I found it impossible to walk out without buying a sweet treat. Pros: Sasha's contains a wide variety of Russian and Polish foods. more

Sasha's is a great find. Although having a very limited menu, the luncheon offerings are interesting, giving the limited kitchen. Some of the food is from the very cans and jars sold on the premises, but some of it is home made. It's a thrill to have a chance to experience what no other restaurant in Austin can provide. The selections in the Deli part of the store are interesting. Whether you want to make Okroshka (using bottled Kvas) or Borsch or a unique fish dish, there are many items from which to choose. The owners are very helpful. It's good to get to know them, because they can help you a lot with expanding your tastes and interests. Pros: Service is friendly, try the dumplings, ask a lot of personal questions and learn about Russian food Cons: Limited space; like eating in a busy deli, surely not for a romantic date more