Russia House Restaurant and Vodka Bar

★★★★ 99 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton 561-361-8170, RussiaHouseRestaurant.com Cuisine: Russian Cost: Moderate-expensive Hours: Dinner Tuesday-Sunday Reservations: Suggested Credit cards: AE, MC, V Bar: Full service Sound level: Can be noisy with live music

Outside smoking: Yes For kids: Highchairs, boosters, menu items on request

Wheelchair accessible:

Yes

Parking: Free valet Everything is made by hand in the Russian House’s kitchen.

We didn’t get to kebabs ($21-$38), and there are plenty of seafood options, including pan-fried whole flounder ($23) and baked rainbow trout ($24). Another time.

And those vareniki appear again at dessert, this time filled with sour cherries ($14). There are easily enough for four people to taste these delicate dumplings. Our friend was transported back to his Pittsburgh childhood and the kitchen of his Russian grandmother. I’d also recommend the Napoleon torte ($9), layers of puff pastry with vanilla cream. Cheese and sour-cherry blinis ($10) didn’t stand up to the vareniki, but they were good.

I haven’t addressed the Vodka Bar part of the restaurant’s name, but Elana Zicherman tells me they have more than 70 variet- ies.

A one-man band of sorts plays from 7 p.m. until closing Thursday through Sunday. He sings in Russian, English and Italian, and many diners come here to dance. Even on a quiet Sunday night, a young couple were up on their feet when “Hava Nagila” came on. There’s a separate dance floor close to the entrance.

This part of Boca — I once heard it referred to as SoPa, or south of Palmetto — is quickly becoming a one-stop international restaurant zone. The Spaniard is next door. Turkish, Greek, Japanese, Mexican and Middle Eastern restaurants are all within walking distance. Eating in Boca has never been better.

Star ratings

★★★★ = Excellent ★★★ = Good

★★ = Fair ★ = Poor