Tucked within 8 Kinrara is a hidden gem of a cafe called Torte by Linda, which specializes in Russian medovik, a multi-layered honey sponge cake that was popularized during the Soviet Union era. Pretty rare offering, especially in KL where there aren’t too many Russian food places around.
8 Kinrara isn’t exactly a bustling commercial centre, so the shop can be easy to miss. I only found out about the place because my relatives ordered a cake from here to celebrate my uncle and auntie’s 50th wedding anniversary, and I was blown away upon trying their medovik for the first time. Since then, I’ve always wanted to go check out their cafe proper – but the opportunity only presented itself recently when the Hubs and I were travelling back from Pavilion Bukit Jalil. Traffic was horrendous, so I made a detour here for tea time.
The space is small, perhaps fitting a maximum of 20 people at a time, but cosy. There’s a small corner with mostly children’s books to keep the young ones entertained, and shelves filled with pretty knickknacks and tea cups printed with delicate patterns. Matryoshka dolls line the shelf at the entrance, alongside giant jars of honey in an enticing dark gold hue.
Although they specialise in cakes and desserts, you will also find a few savoury items on the menu, including potato varaneki (dumplings) and chebureki (meat-filled, deep-fried turnovers that look like empanadas or large currypuffs). There is a good selection of thirst quenchers as well, including Russian teas and milkshakes.
The cakes come in a few flavours. I went with the Tort Classic Medovik (RM15 per slice). The cake is beautifully made, with layers of sponge interspersed with cream, sprinkled with crumbly bits on top for added texture.
Even before you put it in your mouth, the cake’s delicious aroma of honey tantalises your sense of smell. And once it’s in, the cake literally melts in the mouth. The sponge is light and airy, which contrasts perfectly with the sweet and milky cream layer in between. Just to give you a heads up – the stuff is pretty strong and sweet, so if you’re a fan of more subtle flavours, you might want to consider something else on the menu, like what N ordered – the Tort Summer Berries Medovik (RM16 per slice).
The summer berries cake has a fruity tartness to it, with the sourness of the berries balances out the sweetness of the honey and cream. Other flavours you can opt for include the Biscoff, Tort Spartak (chocolate), Medjool (dates), and caramel.
TORTE BY LINDA
Lot No B-G-06, Ground Floor, Eight Kinrara, Jln BK 5A/1, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, Malaysia
Opening hours: 11.30 AM – 6.30PM (daily)
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Eris Goes To 
The cake looks especially delicious! 👌 I gotta agree with you on the sentiment that Russian restaurants aren’t that widespread, even here in the Philippines.
Interestingly, there’s one Eastern European online food shop I follow in IG that operates here in Manila. It specializes in appetizers and mostly savory fare, and is lauded by many expats from the former Soviet Union!
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I think it’s because the Russian community here is small, so there aren’t a lot of options available compared to say, German or Italian cuisine, which is more popular internationally.
Funny story, my first experience with Russian-inspired food was at a Cantonese place lol. In Hong Kong char chan tengs, borscht soup is a staple – apparently Russian immigrants brought it to China in the 19th century; the locals liked it and adapted it to their taste. It’s so interesting how food cultures mingle and evolve!
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Hey Eris, if you’re keen on exploring more Eastern Europeam fare, there is a pretty nice restaurant known as Astana in Sri Petaling. The location might be slightly dodgy but the restaurant itself is pretty and the food is great. They also serve a pretty mean slice of Medovis as well.
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Thanks for the recommendation, Claire ! Yep, have heard of Astana before, but haven’t had the chance to check it out. Will do so one of these days!
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