The "red stars" blin, packed to the gills with salmon caviar. Hollis Johnson In Russia, a chain serving traditional Russian fare dukes it out with the likes of McDonald's and KFC — and now it's coming to the US.

In 1998, Mikhail Goncharov was inspired by the immense popularity of McDonald's in his home country and decided to start a fast-food chain, Teremok, which serves Russian classics instead of burgers and fries.

Goncharov, the CEO of the chain, adapted his mother's recipes for Teremok's menu, which features blini, soups, and kasha. Today, there are more than 300 Teremok locations in Russia.

In the past year, two Teremok locations have opened in New York City as the chain plants a flag on American soil.

We stopped by the nearest Teremok to see if the Russian chain could compete with the hegemony of American classics like the Big Mac and the Crunchwrap Supreme.