Kryjivka/Криївка Lviv, Ukraine

As we enter the gate I understand that this is no ordinary restaurant. We knock on a door and a man in a military uniform from the 50's open and ask what we want. We say we want to eat and he looks carefully at us before he says "no available tables" we ask, "how about just for a beer", but he says "no it is full" we turn around and start going out, then say he, okay maybe there are some seats, we just need to know the correct password before we can be allowed to enter. It is "Slava Ukraine" (live Ukraine) we say the password, get a shot of Horilka and go down the narrow stairs. Downstairs there are of course many empty tables. Everything is just part of the show.

The restaurant honors the paramilitary nationalist movement that fought for a free Ukraine in the 40's, led by the fearless and controversial Stepan Bandera.

The whole restaurant is designed as an underground cave, bunker or a hiding place for soldiers and weapons. Everything is really implemented, the food is a little rough, half-meter sausage and mashed potatoes, usually served with a bottle of homemade horilka. Plates are aluminum cans and along with the sausage, we get a big knife. The waiters also have uniforms, and frequently we hear gun shots from an older soldier who goes around the room in search of spies. Sometimes he finds some suspicious and shoots them in the foot with a toy gun. Should you feel to blend better into the environment, it is also possible to borrow a military jacket and machine guns, at least to take pictures ..

It is really cool, the food is good and the atmosphere is incredible. The evening we are here is a big soccer match in Lviv, and the restaurant is filled with fans from both teams.

Visit the website here Kryjivkas http://www.kryjivka.com.ua/