Mari Vanna Celebrates One Year
The successful Russian cuisine concept, Mari Vanna, has held down a residency in D.C. for over a year. Time to celebrate! DC on Heels was on hand for the festivities, taking in the sights and sounds, and sipping down the vodka.
Mari Vanna balances the ornate with the homey (Photo: Mari Vanna)
Ypa! (Cheers)
Styled like a Russian country home, Mari Vanna houses three floors of cozy kitsch. Patrons sit on floral patterned couches, eating off of grainy hardwood and observing old country nick knacks hung on faded wallpaper and barn wood. The well-imagined interior places you squarely in the living room of the world’s chicest babushka.
A cozy place to sip vodka and slurp borsch (Photo: Mari Vanna)
In fact, Mari Vanna derives its name from a famed Moscow woman who hosted diners for all who would come. The restaurant bearing her name preserves that snug hospitality with a borschy vibe as well as granting its favorite patrons a key with which they can access Mari Vanna during select, closed-to-public hours.
Throughout the evening, Mari Vanna showcased its menu with samples of their Russian specialties and an open bar that provided guests ample opportunity to try the many flavored vodka’s Mari Vanna has hung its fur trooper hat on.
Enough flavored vodka to see us through the winter (Photo: Richard Barry/DC on Heels)
Between DJ sets, a feverish accordion player stamped out folk tunes, mingling with the crowd and striking up jigs.
Accordion player strutting his stuff (Photo: Richard Barry/DC on Heels)
An anniversary requires cake, and cake was had. With much fanfare, a layered, cream cake as long as a landing strip was brought out. Guests helped themselves to slices and clinked champagne glasses, toasting Mari Vanna on to another year.
Huge cake! And this only its first year! (Photo: Richard Barry/DC on Heels)
No need to worry if you missed Mari Vanna’s big one-year. The celebrations continue this week with an Olympic kick-off party Feb. 7 from 6-9 p.m. including a complimentary vodka shot and complimentary pirozhki (baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of fillings) tasting. Throughout the Sochi Winter Olympics, Mari Vanna will show the games.
So come out comrade and show some party support by checking out Mari Vanna. Come often enough and you might find yourself with a key to the old country!
Richard is a freelance writer who enjoys building a healthy appetite with long runs around the city. When not logging the miles, he can be spotted training the palate at brunches, happy hours and food trucks.
