Dvin Restaurant
One of Webster Groves’ Best-Kept Secrets

by Marian Rein

Dvin Restaurant

8143 N. Big Bend Blvd

Webster Groves, MO 63119

(314) 968-4000

 

Located in Webster Groves, Dvin Restaurant serves up authentic Eastern European/Russian cuisine that is out-of-this-world good. Lidiya Skilioti and her daughter, Natalya Bryantseva, are its only employees. With only nine tables, Dvin is the place to go for an excellent meal at low prices — a place for a great family meal or with friends for a quiet, unique dining experience. If you happen to have been raised in a European family, you’ll feel right at home — it’s like eating in the home of a traditional European cook.

This is down-home cooking at its best! Don’t let the unassuming exterior fool you (if you can spot it at all). The food is fantastic, so it’s a wonder that Dvin doesn’t have a waiting list — a week in advance. I arrived with two friends on a Saturday evening and had no problems being seated.

In additional to its menu of traditional Eastern European dishes, there are always daily specials. With several specials to choose from, I settled on the vegetarian offering — eggplant stuffed with mushrooms in a cream sauce and served with mashed potatoes. I don’t know if the dish actually has a name, but I call it wonderful. I seem to remember saying, “mmmm” after every bite.

I also tried the Chicken Roulette served with roasted potatoes, and a pork dish that was stuffed with carrot and garlic. I can’t say which dish I liked the most — honesty, they were all delicious.

 

When the bill arrived, one of my friends picked it up and took a double take. We were very surprised that three outstanding entrees and three salads would cost only $40. I kept thinking about my son — when he was just a little guy, I would search for a place to go that served home cooking at low prices. I live a half mile from Dvin — I never thought about going there, probably because it’s just not easy to see while driving down Big Bend.

 

Dvin also caters events of up to 40 people. While they lack a liquor license, feel free to bring your own bottle of wine or beer. From now on, I’m a regular — patron that is!