Known in Russia as the "soup of the czars," solyanka is a smoked meat soup with chicken, beef, sausage, ham and pork. The light broth is laden with capers, pickles, black olives and just a hint of lemon. Owner Yelena Khasin says, "People who are on low-carb diets come in just for the solyanka."

Yelena and her husband, Mark, open the deli daily at 10 a.m., including Sundays. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Since it's a deli, salami, mortadella, Rueben or Russian ham sandwiches are a mainstay at lunchtime. But at Taste of Russia they can be paired with olivie. A house specialty, olivie is an interesting twist on potato salad because it's flavored with bits of sausage and capers.

Mark Khasin describes Russian food as "hearty but not spicy." Cabbage rolls have meat and rice, while blintzes are made with fruit, cottage cheese or meat. A lunch special of solyanka and two blintzes runs $4.99. Sodas and domestic beers are available, but since this is a place to try something new, there are a variety of Russian beers and wines to sample there or take home.

Although entrees and side dishes are made on site, the Khasins bring in meats, cheeses and fish from New York, Chicago and Canada. Lox, salmon, trout and other smoked fish are refrigerated separately from the main deli case. There's plenty of cavier on the shelves, too.

The Khasins, who have been married for 31 years, left what was then the Soviet Union, in 1979. Yelena says, "It wasn't that hard to get out. It wasn't a good time. A lot of people were moving any place. We had no idea where we were going. We'd never been anywhere."

Their trek took them first to a refugee camp in Vienna, Austria. Then they were shuttled to Italy and finally ended up in New York City. After a year in the Big Apple, Marks says, "We decided it wasn't the right place." Since Mark was a mechanical engineer, Silicon Valley beckoned.

Arriving here in 1980, Mark was able to find work as an engineer, but the two companies he worked for eventually folded. So by 1995, it was time for something new. That turned out to be Taste of Russia.

Since opening, the Khasins' lives have changed and so has Cupertino. Most notably, Khasin says the city's demographics are different now. So, he hopes to attract new customers looking for a different kind of ethnic food. The deli is located in Bollinger Plaza, just one block off South DeAnza Boulevard.

Taste of Russia, 7335 Bollinger Road, Cupertino, 408.257.3482, Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.