Sound redundant? It’s not … it’s a summation of my first night in Kyiv, Ukraine, last September. One of my No. 1 goals whenever I visit somewhere new is to always try the signature food. I didn’t expect, however, to find myself eating the city’s eponymous dish at a thusly named restaurant.

At the spacious Chicken Kyiv restaurant on Khreshchatyk Street, they serve a unique take on the iconic chicken dish, as well as other popular chicken dishes. My chicken Kyiv was served on a bed of mashed potatoes, breaded and lightly fried, on the bone. The secret to the dish is pounding or rolling the chicken around butter and herbs.

While I didn’t visit, the restaurant apparently houses a secret bar, which fits in with the décor — reminiscent of 1970s/’80s Soviet-era elite restaurants.

Only fittingly, we ended the meal with Kyiv cake. While we tried a few iterations of the dessert on our trip, this one was my favorite. It was quite light, with layers of airy meringue and nuts, chocolate glaze and buttercream. Definitely a must-try anywhere you spot the iconic dessert!

— Kimberly Krol, editor in chief