Sneak peek at Corner of Ukraine, opening Dec. 15 in Nyack

Ivanka Dashko tears up when she talks about all America has done for her and her home country of Ukraine. Now, she's giving back a little taste with her new Nyack restaurant, Corner of Urkaine, which opens at noon Dec. 15.

The 46-seat spot, where Big Jerk Caribbean Restaurant had been, has long been a dream of her and her husband, Ivan. He came to the U.S. when he was 9; she came when she was 25 and ever since, the Suffern couple craved the same thing: Ukrainian food they didn't have to drive to Manhattan for.

"There's a large Ukranian population here in Rockland so I don't understand why there's never been a restaurant," she said.

It would take nine years but, armed with a background in event planning, the mother of three — with lots of help from her husband, parents, family and friends (she has a particular shout out to her mom) — has put together a cozy, homey, authentic representation of the kind of food, cocktails, beer, wine and decor you'd find in Ukraine.

Authenticity as a central ingredient

"I'm trying to show real old fashioned Ukrainian culture," Dashko said.

That meant freshening up the space with white walls, decorative folk-art, plates and lots of knickknacks from Ukraine (check out the salt and pepper shakes on each table). It also meant adding a full kitchen, which the previous spot did not have.

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Many of the items displayed in the space came from bazaars that friends and family in Ukraine sent over (she still has many family and friends living there). There's also an area towards the front that displays dolls, pipes and other decorative items including a free magnet. And, there's an area where diners can put on classic headdresses or shirts and take photos of themselves.

Each wood table — the left side features seating for eight ("We have large families," said Dashko) — is topped with a colorful traditional tablerunner, and has the illusion of being near a window — complete with curtains. It's a design of the way houses looked years ago, explained Dashko.

Even the bathrooms get the royal treatment with oversized murals of Taras Shevchenko, a Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure and folklorist, and Lesya Ukrainka, one of the country's foremost writers known for her poems and plays. The murals, which definitely make a statement (the man is in the ladies' room; the woman is in the men's), were created by local artist Iolanta Pavliuk, who's also part of the serving staff.

Front and center near the back of the dining room (and near the seven-seat bar) is a large quote from Ukranian writer Lina Kostenko with a basket of sunflowers underneath it. The message loosely translates to the importance of being appreciative of the beauty surrounding you.

It's a motto Dashko lives by, especially after dealing with friends and family experiencing the Ukrainian war first hand (she travelled to Poland to bring a friend and her daughter who had temporarily relocated there to the U.S.). "We all have to live our lives now," she said. "Appreciate each moment. Because you just never know what tomorrow may bring."

What's the menu like?

The commitment to preserving Ukrainian culture extends beyond the decor to the food, which is based on traditional recipes and cooked by Ukrainian chefs. Diners can expect dishes like farsmak (mashed herring with celery, apple, cucumber, eggs and homemade mayo, served with sourdough toast); rulka (bacon rolled and cooked with spices, served with pickled sauerkraut and sour tomato); miter kielbasa (baked homemade kielbasa served with horseradish dip and beets) as well as five kinds of perogies stuffed with either potato, sauerkraut, cherry, farmer's cheese, and ground veal.

There are also salads and soups including borscht and Solyanka, made with cured meats, green chiles, pickles, veggies and beef broth and Holubsti, Ukrainian stuffed cabbage.

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Staying true to the restaurant's mission are 20 different kinds of Ukrainian beers and a variety of wines, including vintages from Poland and Latvia.

Another conventional touch: The wait staff will be wearing traditional garb.

All of this is based on Dashko's passion to teach people about her native country's culture. "I feel like a lot of people don't know that much about us," she said. "So I hope to educate them."

If you go

Address: 85 Main St., Nyack, 845-814-3424

Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday; to 10 p.m. Thursday and to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations highly suggested.

Good to Know: The grand opening is Dec. 15 at noon and will include U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, State Sen. Bill Weber and Ukrainian Singer Ivo Bubul. There will also be free samples of appetizers handed out in front of the restaurant though Dashko hopes you'll pop in and say hi.

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Nyack NY Corner of Ukraine restaurant to open