The Citiblog

Inside Slava, the new Ukrainian Spot, in the former Pegu Club
June 6, 2023, 5:34.13 pm ET

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Photos: Slava

Nazar Hrab, Travis Odegard, Matt Sylvester, and Josh Spiezle know a thing or two about the New York City restaurant scene. They own the East Village’s Pineapple Club and Bee’s Knees Cocktail Bar in Williamsburg. Now, they have come together again to create Slava, a new Ukrainian spot with a high-end cocktail bar in the former Pegu Club space which shuttered during the pandemic.

Nazar Hrab (above) is from Lviv, Ukraine and worked as a doctor, delivering over 50 babies before coming to America in 2013. Starting over in New York and yet to learn any English, he eventually landed at Jean Georges’ Mercer Kitchen, where he met his future business partners Matt Sylvester, a former chef and bartender, and Travis Odegard, a manager.

Their relationship flourished over after work cocktails at the Pegu Club, never dreaming that the space would one day be theirs. They opened their first venture, Pineapple Club in 2020 to great success, where they met and joined forces with tech entrepreneur and designer Josh Spiezle, together opening Bee’s Knees and Slava in November 2022.

Slava was conceptualized in 2021 to be a restaurant that celebrates Ukrainian cuisine and culture. It is named after Nazar’s mother Yaroslava and has taken on a second meaning as a reference to the phrase “Slava Ukraini”, which means glory to Ukraine.

At Slava, diners will find elevated Ukrainian classics like Varenyky, Ukrainian potato dumplings, Duck Leg, Confit with potato gratin; a Fried Chicken Kyiv Sandwich served with porcini mushroom mousse on the side; and Borscht, with a dollop of sour cream and two large pork ribs protruding from the bowl. Brunch includes Cheese Pancakes topped with caramel, sour cream, and raspberry sauce; and Salmon Crepes with spinach, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce.

Cocktails range from its bright green Slava Apple-tini with vodka, melon liqueur, apple, and lime to its Clarified Borscht Cocktail fortified with vodka. 20% of the proceeds from the drink are donated to Revived Soldiers Ukraine, which has been providing medical treatment to wounded Ukrainian soldiers, as well as delivering medical equipment, supplies, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2014.

Visitors will also find a series of Vodka Infusions made with ingredients like horseradish and honey, beets, and cherry infused in vodka for up to 20 days, available as individual shots, flights of three, and 20-ounce bottles for the table.

Slava is located at 77 West Houston Street, New York, NY (929) 531-9779. For more information, visit www.slavanyc.com


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