Restaurant Envy
It is not hard to get food envy or should I say restaurant envy while in Poland, every year new restaurants are opening and some of our favourites have closed, but thanks to Instagram I can keep a handle of what is happening over there from my New Zealand couch. Combined these with Polish wine it makes travelling around Poland a food fest for its visitors. From the luxury of eating in Michelin awarded restaurants to the simple cafes the food never disappoints. First up is Krakow, voted Gastronomic capital of Europe, eating in this city requires some planning. Kazimierz, Krakow’s historic Jewish quarter is always on my hit list when it comes to dining out. This old suburb has been transformed, indie galleries, quirky shops, vintage clothing stores and their restaurants doesn’t disappoint, and options are endless. Here you can eat in a Michelin awarded restaurant or just sit and eat pierogi in one of their shabby chic bars. For traditional Polish food with a “twist” we found Morskie Oko Restaurant situated off the old Square in Krakow. All I can say was yum yum yum, picking an old favourite from my childhood “Bigos”, originally a dish from Belarus it basically translates to a “hunters stew”. This dish of chopped meat usually stewed with sauerkraut and shredded with fresh cabbage is so flavoursome and still so Polish. We always try to order a Polish wine if we can when eating out, although New Zealand wine area very popular and will often feature on most restaurant menus. Surprisingly New Zealand wine is cheaper than their own wine, probably due to most Polish vineyards still in the “boutique” stage, a little bit more expensive but we think well worth the money.
Lodz is another foodie haven for us, a little bit off the beaten track when it comes to holiday destinations, Off Piotrkowska is a favourite and believe me it has it all. It represents the independent and off beat side of the city, built on the grounds of an old cotton mills it has been taken over by food trucks, restaurants and cafés. The ambience is amazing, people everywhere, live music and lots of locals who loved nothing more than to sit and chat. The first question is always “why Lodz? well why not we love it!
Warszawa the jewel in the crown of Polish food, rich in restaurant and café life it doesn’t disappoint either. Three areas for eating, the city, old town and over the river in the infamous Praga. The city has the up market but fabulously gorgeous Alewino situated on the leafy Mokotowska Street. Hidden down a driveway with only a small sign on the street, which we have often missed it offers a great space. On one side is a wine shop/tasting bar and the other is the restaurant with a courtyard separating the two. The chef here is amazing, Sebastian, creating gastronomic dishes, such as herring served with burnt potato, smoked plum and onion with elderberry capers, lamb with horseradish puree, marinated carrot in a pool of bison grass sauce and the menu goes on. Recommended to us Alewino is always on our itinerary when in Warszawa.
For a quick bite and a wine Charlotte is our choice, on Grzybowski Street, this French café with a Polish twist offers a brunch menu through to an evening tapas menu. This modern café has an industrial themed setting complete with outdoor seating, it reminded me of Wellington. Praga, the forgotten suburb of Warsaw, this edgy and “gritty” area over the bridge is so interesting. Boska Praga Restaurant was a real find. On Sefana Okrzei Street opposite where we stayed that year. Praga is where Roman Polanski filmed the Oscar Nominated “The Pianist” and lets no forget the movie The Zookeepers Wife, set at the Warszawa Zoo. Although this part of Warsaw gets a bad “wrap” I like it, large murals adorn the side of the old soviet concrete buildings, the art galleries and all the renovations that are going on this area it definitely is catering for the new generation of Pole and it is worth the trip.
I can’t sign off until I mention the Stary Miasta or the old town, even though it caters for tourists and there are always quite a few you can still find a fabulous meal here, the competition is fierce. No takeaway chains in sight, and you can eat anything from the traditional to a fine dining experience. The square in the summer months are full of tables and umbrellas so again you have a choice. Poland has come a long way when it comes to food. Polish restaurants take so much pride in their cuisine never forgetting their roots, depending on the season there is always a flavour distinctive from their past in each dish. Did I mention it is so affordable to eat out in Poland, but I could talk for hours on this subject. Bon appetite.
