Handmade heritage in every bite
Written by Laura Nierengarten
From signature dumplings to new cake ranges, Ukrainian Dumplings is bringing the love of family tradition to the Hunter.
Step inside chef Alexandra “Sasha" Ivanova’s Honeysuckle kitchen and you’ll instantly feel the warmth of Ukrainian hospitality.
The smells of fresh dill and cooked onion fill the space with the aromas of traditional Ukrainian cooking.
Inside Alexandra "Sasha" Ivanova's Honeysuckle kitchen
For almost two years, Sasha has been dishing up her popular Ukrainian dumplings, crepes, and honey cakes to order, and now, she’s expanding her offerings to include even more sweet treats.
Every dumpling and cake Sasha makes is a heartfelt taste of home.
When Sasha migrated to Newcastle from her hometown of Kremenchuk, Ukraine, two and a half years ago, she fell in love with the Australian landscape, but she missed the food of home. So she rolled up her sleeves and taught herself to cook Varenyky, Ukraine’s beloved traditional dumplings.
Back in Ukraine, Sasha spent three years training to become a chef, inspired by the many cooking shows she watched as a child and the recipes she scribbled into notebooks. She earned a chef’s diploma before pursuing a career as a pharmacist. But after moving to Australia, she felt the spark to cook return, tying up her apron once again.
In Newcastle, Sasha noticed there were few homemade frozen products available, a staple in her home country and something she was eager to share with her new community.
It wasn’t long before Sasha’s dumplings became a popular frozen favourite for Novocastrians, comforting reminders of home for some, and delicious new discoveries for others.
Encouraged by her glowing customer reviews, Sasha cooks not only to stay connected to her roots, but also to share the richness and warmth of traditional Ukrainian cuisine with Newcastle.
What they’re DisHhing up
The frozen dumplings are the standout, made entirely from scratch, filled with fresh ingredients, and stuffed with love. These handmade staples can be ordered by the kilo and stored in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to eat, pop them straight from the freezer into boiling water for 10 minutes. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or celebration finger food.
If you’re picking up dumplings, you can’t help but finish with one of Sasha’s beautiful homemade honey cakes. These custom-made creations can be tailored to any celebration and are available in a range of sizes and flavours, perfect for intimate family gatherings or weddings that need to feed a crowd.
And if you’re already a fan of her honey cakes, you’ll be excited to know that Sasha plans to expand her cake range with even more irresistible, heartfelt desserts.
Our must-tries from the kitchen:
Ukrainian Dumplings (Veg option available)
Traditionally known as varenyky, these half-moon shaped dumplings are handmade and filled with your choice of sweet or savoury flavours. Enjoy them boiled or fried, finished with fresh dill, fried onions and a spoonful of essential sour cream. The chef’s go-to fillings, potato and cabbage, are hard to beat.
Honey Cake
A popular Ukrainian dessert, this handmade thin-layered honey cake starts out crisp, then softens into a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to a creamy custard filling. Sasha offers her honey cake in a range of flavours, from the classic to raspberry and pistachio fillings.
Planning a special celebration? She can create custom designs, her honeybee decorations are a favourite for children’s birthdays.
New! Black Forest Cake
With a sweet tooth and a deep love for cherries, Sasha has crafted a new addition close to her heart. This chocolate sponge cake features three layers of rich cocoa sponge, lightly infused with cognac, filled with juicy cherries and silky cream cheese frosting. Topped off with fresh blueberries.
What’s coming up for Ukrainian Dumplings? Sasha is excited to expand her cake range alongside her signature dumplings and crepes as well as offer masterclasses focused on the art of cake decorating.
Stay up to date with what she’s whipping up next or place an order for your favourites on the Ukrainian Dumplings Instagram and Facebook pages.
The rundown
→ A celebration of traditional Ukrainian recipes
→ Portion sizes for every appetite
→ Easy dinner or a special celebration sweet treat $$
→ Vegetarian & gluten-free options
→ Potato dumplings that taste like home, and incredibly moist honey cakes with the perfect balance of sweetness and tang
The DisHh features are booked anonymously and paid independently by HUNTERhunter. A restaurant cannot pay to be featured in The DisHh.
