In Philadelphia we enjoy tons of Uzbeki and Russian restaurants. I shop at several Russian supermarkets as well as small Mom and Pop shops. The choices of prepared foods as well as raw ingredients is impressive.
Quite the opposite in Naples. We just got our first Uzbeki restaurant. The choices are limited, but truly delicious and well prepared. After our second visit, I met the chef and talked about several of the dishes I enjoy in Philadelphia. She said she’d be happy to prepare almost anything I’d like, given a few days notice. I, of course, took her up on the offer and returned with some special requests for our third visit.
I was discussing veal chops with my friend, Sol who admitted to enjoying breaded veal chops. It reminded me of the Shnitzel dishes so commonly found in Philadelphia’s Russian restaurants, so I convinced him and his wife, Carin, to join Barb and I on our next night out with them.
Afsona opened just a few months ago. They have a very nice setup despite their sidewalk location. The inside looks warm and welcoming, but since it’s still “Covid time” we are most comfortable dining outdoors. They have a nice tent-like outside area, white table cloths, and very pleasant and knowledgeable servers. There is a wine and beer list, but we always prefer to bring our own. Especially when the corkage fee is reasonable. Theirs is $15/bottle which we consider very fair.
We started our meal with a special request made a few days in advance: Blini with Creme Fraiche, Smoked Salmon and Caviar.
Barb loves their Eggplant appetizer which is sautéed, dipped in egg wash and stuffed with tomatoes and garlic. It is served cold.
Barb and Carin both ordered a Chicken Kebob that came with some nicely prepared veggies.
Sol and I both had the specially ordered Veal Shnitzel which came with roasted potatoes and two dipping sauces. Really delicious.
We had two desserts: a crepe with cottage cheese and fruit called Tvorojnik and a many layered honey cake called Medovik.
We are hoping that Afsona catches on and succeeds here in Naples. We have certainly enjoyed our three outings and our friends have been impressed with the quality and value of their meals as well as the excellent service. I recommend this restaurant very highly. Please check it out and let me know what you think.
JoshEatsandDrinks 