Kyiv Social is excited to announce Babusya’s Lane, the newly designed Grafton Lane dining area that encourages the community to experience the huge progress from the Ukrainian hospitality team. Launching Wednesday 13 November, the laneway and restaurant further welcome a new happy hour and $59 set menu.
Two years after the invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv Social hopes to unite through an oasis of hope & strength displayed by the people of Ukraine, as well as the resilience of the nearly 70 marginalised community members that the Plate it Forward Hospitality Group employ from all over the World.
Since opening last October, the venue has welcomed 25+ newly arrived Ukrainian refugees as employees, donated 20,000+ meals to orphan children in Kyiv, and supplied 10,462+ hours of training & employment provided to new Australian’s looking to start a better life. Over the past 5 years the group has employed close to 200 people, providing over $4.5 million in wages to people who were previously on social benefits)
The word Babusya translates to ‘Grandmother’ in Ukrainian, and continues the strong Plate it Forward Hospitality Group’s ethos of employing strong women in their kitchens. Both Kyiv Social and Kabul are an all-female kitchen team, and 80% of the hospitality group’s workforce are women with many working their first kitchen job and first job in Australia.
In the centre of every one of their venue’s, Plate it Forward displays a large mural that is designed to impart the wisdom, community and the love bestowed upon us by strong grandmas and women. Babusya is the latest representation joining Amma in Colombo Social, Bibi in Kabul Social, and now Baby in Kyiv.
To thank and celebrate the beacon of resilience from the community, Babusya’s Lane will pay homage to Zofia Curkan, the world’s oldest refugee who fled Ukraine to Poland at the age of 104, through a 7-metre-high mural. Designed by renowned street artist Sam Mcaleer (Smackas Creative), the mural symbolises the strength of women and the wider community.
In the spirit of everyone’s Grandmother Babusya, Kyiv Social will launch Babu’s Hour; a hour happy hour from 5:30 to 7:30pm, with $6 snacks and drinks. The snack menu will feature the “Skinny Dip”, Kyiv Social’s Chef Viktoria’s actual Babusya’s recipe of a traditional healthy dip made from roasted Zucchini, carrot & tomato. Other dishes include Herring on Rye, the fluffy & decadent Pampuskhy (Ukrainian bread layered in Garlic Butter) and a plate of dill infused zingy pickles.
Happy hour drinks on offer include $6 house wines, as well a range of Young Henry’s beer including the bespoke beloved Ukrainian Lager. If looking for something outside the list, Kyiv Social have introduced the “Kyiv Compote’ exclusively to Babusya Lane. The traditional Ukrainian summer cocktail is made for five people and served punch bowl style as a throwback to the long, communal lunches at all of our Grandma’s House.
Understanding the current economic times for people and the industry, Plate it Forward want to support people who need help, by reducing their 6-course set menu to $55. Not only does the menu include six authentic dishes, including handmade dumplings, a giant “Kyiv” Kyiv and a Ukrainian Honey Cake, every set menu sold provides invaluable employment hours for newly Ukrainian refugees.
To make the dining experience more authentic, you can add on the $40 Horilka (vodka) pairing, including four perfectly matched in-house horilka shots (Pickle, Dill, Hot Honey & Cherry) served in the universal sewing kit.
Purchasing the $59 set menu not only allows people a special taste of Ukraine, it feeds two people in need. For every set menu sold, it will feed someone from Sydney and will provide a healthy and nutritious meal to 50+ orphanages in Ukraine. To date, Kyiv Social has provided over 20,000 meals to orphans whose parents have been lost in the war.
Kyiv Social’s Babusya’s Lane, happy hour and $59 set menu will launch Wednesday 13 November at the heritage listed venue in Broadway.
Kyiv Social
202 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
T: +61 422 859 320 | E: kyivsocial@plateitforward.org.au | Book Online
Babu’s Happy Hour: $6 snacks and wine from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Kyiv Social Set Menu:$ 59 shared set menu with six Ukrainian courses
Sunday Special Lunch: $22 Schnitzel & Young Henrys beloved Ukrainian Lager from 12pm-5pm
