Blini Hut

132 Nassau St. (at Beekman Street)

(212) 233-3500

Moscow meets McDonald’s at Blini Hut, where hearty and inexpensive Russian fare is listed in numbered meal combinations on a big red plastic board.

Fortunately, the place isn’t quite as sterile as your average fast-food joint. Wooden wall hangings of peasants and a glowing faux fireplace lend a touch of kitsch that’s decidedly Eastern. Meanwhile, Russian rock videos play on overhead screens.

Obviously the ambiance is less than sumptuous, but what do you want with a $6 meal – the Russian Tea Room’s revolving bear aquarium?

Still, the waiters are upbeat and efficient, promptly bringing your order, which arrives on paper plates. And you can hardly complain about the prices.

A combo of chicken broth with dumplings, two golubtzi (stuffed cabbage), a roll and soda costs $6.37. The soup could have been warmer, but the dozen dumplings in it, called pelmenny and filled with lightly spiced meat, were satisfying.

The soup and the light Russian roll could have been enough for lunch by themselves, but the golubtzi – cabbage stuffed with meat and rice and topped with a lightly spiced tomato sauce (one of four sauce choices) – were too good to pass up.

Of course, all the traditional Russian favorites are offered as well: chicken Kiev ($5.96), borscht ($1.99), blintzes (two for $1.85), and varenniky ($3.97), which are similar to Polish pierogues.

Naturally, there’s a wide selection of blinis as well. Among the choices are the blini with berry preserves ($1.99), blini with salmon caviar or with smoked salmon (each $3.97). Standard blinis are five for $1.57.

For a drink, have some Russian tea ($1.85) or morse ($1.11), a light cranberry drink that’s sweet and yet slightly tart. And if you’re really adventurous, there’s a nonalcoholic brew known as kvas ($1.25), made from yeast, raisins and Russian bread. It tastes like a combination of cola and Guinness.

Should you have space for dessert, try a warm ponchekey (donut), sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Go ahead, splurge – it’s only 74 cents.