Popped into Matreshka today on a whim for lunch (they don't have a set lunch or any specials, but open at 11:00). We were the only table in there at about 2:00.

Overall, it was pretty good. The decor...well, I kind of liked it. Sparkly. Very shiny. The food was also pretty good. I had the chicken kiev, which was awesome. Crispy on the outside and all hot and chicken-y on the inside. The sauce was good too. One friend had the borsch which was also good, and the other had something called "Captain's Meat," which he ordered because it sounded awesome. And it was. It was some meat covered in a potato, covered in some onion and carrots, covered in some creamy cheese. We also had some cottage cheese dumplings, which were sweet and a bit strange for my tastes, but having never had this kind of Russian dumplings before maybe that is exactly what they're supposed to taste like? I think they were a bit plain. We also had some potatoes with cheese, ham and mushrooms and they were nice as well.

The service is a bit off. The dishes came out one at a time, of course, which is bad when you're eating with people but not sharing family-style. No ice with the sodas. We were the only table in the restaurant yet couldn't get the waitress' attention when we needed our bill, so just ended up going to the counter. Not big deal, but it was just little things like that.

Overall the damage was about 200 kuai for lunch for 3, so not very expensive at all, and we left full. It also looked like they had some interesting stuff on their menu that I'd like to try, so I'll probably be back at some point. It didn't wow me in any way (except for the walls. They're really shiny.), but it was pretty good and has the potential to be a nice place for Russian food here in Shanghai, because we desperately need one.

Don't usually write reviews but thought it'd be helpful as I had nothing to go on choosing between the two Russian restaurants in Shanghai apart from bad reviews about the Flying Elephant..

Popped in for small bites and was very pleasantly surprised by the value and taste of the food - first and foremost, the menu is fantastic, we had two dishes and two drinks and were pretty full! The potato cakes melt on your tongue, a mean feat for potato.

Drinks - good choice, v. reasonable. no beer prices on the menu though for some strange reason. Was informed by a trusty Russian that the kompot is typical of home - my first try and I liked it, very bitter to some.

The staff were very friendly and take your coat, speaking Russian, English and Chinese. The timing was awkward as our two dishes arrived very late one after another. An American got notably and publicly very heated next to us about it but we weren't too fussed. He should've opted for more vodka. probably best done sharing plates so there's no worries about people finishing after another etc.

All in all it was around 140RMB for 2 of us to have a small meal, so definitely a lot of bang in the buck. If you want starters and desserts you'll probably pay just over 100 per head. Very impressed and fantastic food for the money, absolutely pukka. Will I return? Probably!