Potato Vareniki from Katia's

By Jonathan Kauffman Thu., Apr. 15 2010 at 2:51 PM

Categories: SFoodie's 92

Charlene/Yelp

As a daily windup to the Weekly's Best of S.F. 2010 on May 19, we've teased out 92 of our favorite local dishes that taste like here. All the tasty details after the jump.

Number 24: Potato Vareniki from Katia's Russian Tea Room

Even as she's selling you on the potato vareniki, Katia Troosh will warn you about them. "The vareniki are really good, but it's enough food for a couple of days," she says laconically. Well, it sure ain't a salad. The fat little beige dumplings are tossed in butter when they come out of the pot, then covered in tangled browned onions. To lighten them up? A half-cup of sour cream.

Take a bite of a varenik, and you're wallowing in all the comfort of a bowl of mashed potatoes magnified by the power of noodles. (Slip a piece of pizza underneath, and you'd have a 3-D rendering of the five-year-old American appetite.) The dumplings are creamy, chewy, buttery, and mild enough to let the toffee-like flavor of the caramelized onions show through.

Despite joking about the soporific effects of the vareniki, when Katia comes back around to your table and spies a remaining varenik or two in the bowl, she'll urge you to finish them off. Which you will, without a word of protest. You didn't need dinner, anyway.

Katia's 600 Fifth Ave. (at Balboa), 668-9292.

Hungry for more? Click on the links in our countdown so far:

No. 92: Cracked Half Dungeness from Swan Oyster Depot
No. 91: Pastrami Sandwich from Orson
No. 90: Coconut Bun from Out the Door on Bush
No. 89: Brown Sugar-Black Pepper Biscuits from Little Skillet
No. 88: Porchetta Sandwich from Il Cane Rosso
No. 87: Indian Pizza from Zante
No. 86: Tamales from All-Star
No. 85: Chilaquiles from Nopalito
No. 84: Poc Chuc from Poc-Chuc
No. 83: Chocolate Beignet from Arlequin Cafe
No. 82: Scallop Crêpe from Ti Couz
No. 81: Gin and Tonic from Pizzaiolo/Boot and Shoe Service
No. 80: Quesadilla from Rico Pan
No. 79: Turkey Kati Rolls from Kasa
No. 78: Emperor's Pancake from Suppenküche
No. 77: Lasagna from Zuppa
No. 76: Chicharrones from 4505 Meats
No. 75: Langka Ice Cream from Mitchell's
No. 74: Bacon Potato Chips from Who's Your Daddy
No. 73: Lamb Dumplings from Kingdom of Dumpling
No. 72: Chile-Braised Carnitas Sandwich from Bento 415
No. 71: Chili from Mission Burger
No. 70: Croissants from La Farine
No. 69: Xiu Mai Banh Mi from Saigon Sandwich
No. 68: Creme Brulee from Sweet.
No. 67: Limon Cebiche from Limon
No. 66: Chicken and Waffles from Brown Sugar Kitchen
No. 65: Brioche Bread Pudding from Tartine Bakery
No. 64: Turkish Salad from Old Jerusalem
No. 63: Ribs from Bruno's
No. 62: Prupisceddu in Umidu (Stewed Octopus) from La Ciccia
No. 61: Hot and Spicy Beef Jerky from Marin Sun Farms
No. 60: Pozole from Chilango
No. 59: Lobster Roll from Sam's ChowderMobile
No. 58: Dry-Fried Chicken Wings from San Tung
No. 57: John Campbell's Scones from Lovejoy's Tea Room
No. 56: Prahok from Angkor Borei
No. 55: The Garden-Fresh Pie from Pizzetta 211
No. 54: Pata Negra Ham from Contigo
No. 53: Stone Bowl Bibimbap at Han Il Kwan
No. 52: Green Papaya Salad from Green Papaya Deli
No. 51: Egg Puffs from Shanghai Dumpling King
No. 50: Cactus Tortillas from La Palma
No 49: Thai Barbecue Chicken from Manivanh
No. 48: Salt and Pepper Crab from R&G Lounge
No. 47: Aztec Chocolate Cupcakes from Mission Minis
No. 46: Octopus Tostada from Mariscos La Costa
No. 45: Pan con Chicharron from El Perol
No. 44: Burmese chicken-noodle soup at Yamo
No. 43: Roast Duck from Cheung Hing
No. 42: Rotisserie Bird from Goood Frickin' Chicken
No.41: Franklin's Teleme Cheese
No. 40: Pho Dac Biet from Turtle Tower
No. 39: Sea Salted Dark Chocolate Caramels from Hooker's
No. 38: Dottie's Famous Pancakes from Dottie's True Blue Cafe
No. 37: XXX Chocolate Cake from Baker and Banker
No. 36: Carnitas Burrito from La Taqueria No. 35: Little Fried Fish from Nopa No. 34: Marlowe's Burger No. 33: Crispy Pata from Patio Filipino
No. 32: Jam Thumbprints from Piccino Coffee Bar
No. 31: Slow-Cooked Egg from Commis
No.30: Pulled Lamb Sandwich from Wexler's
No. 29: Cornmeal-Cherry-Rosemary Doughnut from Dynamo
No. 28: The Rising Sun from 15 Romolo
No. 27: The Cholle Bhature from Vik's Chaat Corner
No. 26: Plant Burger from The Plant Café Organic
No. 25: Stuffed Pasta from Flour + Water