Ocean View Café

Perhaps it’s the pelmeni, those delicate little meat dumplings that bob in deliciously salty, dill-flecked broth, that keep the crowds devoted to this cheery, airy spot. It’s not the view. There is decidedly no Atlantic vista at this Russian diner, unless one counts the cresting waves etched into the oversize glass windows. But after a bite of the blintzes, golden-griddled and generously filled with sweet farmer cheese, the false advertising can be forgiven. Also wonderful: the meaty, Ukrainian-style borscht and tender mushroom-and-sauerkraut pierogi. Cap off the meal with a glass of black tea. The leaves are Lipton, but the drink is served the traditional Russian way, with a bowl of syrupy sour cherries for stirring and sweetening. With cheap wood floors, faux-mosaic tabletops, and just enough sea-foam green trim to warrant its name, Oceanview resembles a beach café merged with an American diner with one exception: Its comprehensive menu diverges from pot roast and grilled-cheese sandwiches to smoked meats and fish, pickled watermelon, and beef stroganoff. The comforts may not be identical, but the excesses are nearly so.