Manning up on Russian shashlik

In keeping with Man Up's tradition of highlighting BBQ any of us has had in another country (but not another state), I'm about to post pics from my first time to have shashlik, Russia's brand of BBQ. Shashlik is basically skewered meat cooked over hot coals. After working up an appetite bargaining with vendors over matrioshka dolls and Russian linens at Ismailova Market, the row of smoky shashlik pits was a welcome sight. Sizzling skewers of pork, beef, chicken, and salmon.

Table service was a surprise. After you place your order, you find a table and chairs and wait for them to bring out your food. Also a surprise (particularly in a place like Russia), you don't pay when you order. Apparently, and to our surprise, they just expect you to come up later and pay. Weird, particularly in such a busy, frenzied place as Ismailova. Did not see the honor system coming.

Amber and I got pork and beef. The pork was good; the beef was great. So was the grilled bread. The sauce is hard to describe. Part cocktail sauce, part marinara, part ketchup. Pics on the way...