Sasha's Gourmet Russian Market

*UPDATE* Quite an improvement.... UPDATE: 6/3/2011 What a difference a couple months can make. Shelves have been re-organized, the entire shop has been swept clean, and there isn't a SINGLE expired item in the place. A freezer is now full of some good, high quality pirogi. Another is full of kosher Polish and Russian desserts and other delights.

The deli fridge is stocked with a good selection of various sausages and meats, some imported. Finally, the fridges are full of hard-to-get cheeses and other direct fresh imports.

So, in short .. a full restock, a cleanout of old (or expired items), a massive spring cleaning, and a thorough scrubbing.

WELL DONE SASHAS CAFE! That's what I call 'turning it around'

Спасибо, Саша кафе

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How does this place stay in business? I went looking for piroshki's and Sasha's was the only 'hit' on citysearch in Austin.

The food on the shelves isn't just 'a little' expired. Some of it has been sitting there for YEARS. It's not just the frozen and canned goods either. Caviar that is two years out of date, frozen items that have long since perished of freezer burn, and even 'fresh boxed' items were, upon closer inspection, also out of date.

This store needs a visit by the local health authorities, an airing out, a full restock, and a new owner. I don't think anything less will fix the problems here.…

Worst Russian market I've seen.... I lived in Moscow 3.5 years and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for 6 months. I can honestly say that Sasha's has the 1) worst selection, 2) highest prices and 3) customer service reminiscent of pre-Peristroyka.

I recently moved to Austin and had a craving for pelmini, shashlik and caviar. Yes, they had frozen pelimini (not at all good) and caviar but several of the cans were, as mentioned in other posts, expired. The clerk was absolutely confounded when I asked for dried shashlik seasoning and equally confused when I asked for skewers. Very unhappy experience, next time I'll order my kvas and Russian supplies online from a reputable place in Chicago or New York and pay the shipping. Waste of time to go to Shasha's in Austin. But hey, I guess everyone needs a place to launder money, eh?…

I wish there was some competition!. Many of my friends stopped shopping there years ago, and finally I joined their ranks and now take advantage of rare visits to Houston to buy Russian food and souvenirs. Prices are high, and quality is the worst of any Russian store I've visited over the years. Some savvy recent immigrants from Russia can tell when candy is fresh and when not to buy, but for a more inexperienced shopper, there is a high chance of ending up with stale products. Sasha doesn't seem to care about repeat business, he wants to sell what's on his shelves at any cost. If your child pokes a finger into some package and dents the sweet roll while you are looking away, you will find it added to your bill. And beware of specials: "buy 3, get one free" doesn't mean "buy 6, you'll get two free". No more Sasha for me, I'll wait for another trip to Houston, where there is healthy competition and stores have to win their customers.…

Stay away. I am writing this review only to agree with all previous NEGATIVE ones, and to make sure the stream of reminders about this place's expired products does not stop until "Sasha", whoever he is, stops this BS.

I wonder how they actually survive given that the reputation of a store with food gone bad long ago is pretty solidly established in this case. Probably, all those little Russian grandmas refuse to use HEB, trusting their compatriots. I wish they realized the "compatriots" not only do not give a c**p about them, but actually try to end their days before the date God intended.…