A Fork And A Suitcase

If there was ever a brand that symbolizes Poland, E. Wedel, would be that brand. Karol Wedel opened his first confectioner's shop in Warsaw in 1851.  He served drinking chocolate, chocolates, as well as malt syrup, cough caramels and peppermint pastilles. Emil received the company as a wedding gift after learning the skill at this father's side.  He moved the factory to Szpitalna Street in Warsaw, where a store is still thriving to this day. In 1923 Jan, Emil's son, took over the family business after his parents passed away.  Jan began to hire women for the manufacture of chocolates and even opened a kindergarten on premises for the  children of the employees, a very forward thinker! The factory was operational during the siege of Warsaw (WWII) but was ordered to manufacture chocolate only for the Germans.  Jan was later arrested and transported to the camp in Pruszkow and in September of 1944 the possessions of the factory were stolen by the Rus...

I never eat breakfast out while in Warsaw, never.  Breakfast is always some fresh bread with my favorite Polish cheese, a nice tomato and tea, all consumed at home with my family.  But, I have heard a lot of good things about this place and curiosity got the better of me.  I wanted to see what this Polish version of a traditional New York breakfast was all about. Bulke przez Bibulke (literally it means a roll or a breakfast bun held through a napkin), is a sweet little place that serves breakfast and a light lunch.  It is very nicely decorated, clean, and has friendly and attentive service.  I got my order to go, wanted my family to try it with me.   I have to say that the bagel with lox, cream cheese, onion and some basil was delicious, as was the tuna sandwich with lettuce and tomato.  It was really, really good.   Nothing, off course beats a New York bagel, but this came fairly close to the original.  ...

While visiting family and friends in Warsaw, rarely do I indulge in anything other than Polish cuisine.  I live in New York, a place where anything and everything is available at any time of day and night.  The cuisines of the entire world are strongly represented here, in great abundance. So, this time around, I jumped at a chance when a friend suggested a new Japanese place for dinner. Uki Uki is fairly new to the great Warsaw food scene and I have to say, it is a terrific addition. The udon noodles are freshly made, in an open kitchen, by a Japanese chef Taira Matsuki.  As we sat down, the waiter placed a small black dish with, what looked like, a small tablet in the middle.  He poured the water on it and the tablet transformed into a small cylinder and it became a napkin.  Very clever and entertaining!  We were also given a mortar and pestle to grind our sesame seeds.  Little details like those make for a fun dining experience.   ...

Even though Grycan has been at this location only since 2004, they are practically an institution in Poland.  The husband and wife who have created this business, both come from generations of ice cream makers.  This location has been very well known since another much beloved ice cream shop called "Zielona Budka" A Green Hut, has occupied this space for many years. Not much has changed under the new owners, the ice cream is still delicious, they have excellent shakes and very solid cakes and pastries.  The choices of flavors are vast, some very creative and all very fresh and yummy. I loved the strawberry sorbet, very refreshing.  While ice cream is their specialty, I come her for a Polish delicacy - the rurka z kremem (a pipe with cream).  It is a freshly baked wafer, nice a crispy and filled, right before the purchase, with freshly whipped cream.  It is my favorite childhood treat and just like the paczki, a huge part of th...

This is a very pretty restaurant, pastry and ice cream shop set among apartment buildings.  They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and have space for parties and a very nice table set up outside.  I have only had their pastry and it was all very good.  The interior is very nicely decorated with each  part of the restaurant having its distinctive look. They specialize in French and Mediterranean cuisine. They make their own ice cream and bake fresh bread on premises. The pastry is tasty and very beautiful.  I usually buy a few pieces to photograph. This was delicious, I forgot to write down what it was exactly, but it was a raspberry tasting mousse. My Mom and I really loved this apple and meringue pastry. La Maison Gourmand ul.  Chlodna 15 Open everyday 8am - 11pm Joanna

My first visit to this restaurant was with a group of friends.  We sat outside, where Zielnik has an elegant set up, in a pretty park just across the street from the restaurant.  The food was delicious, the service was attentive and polite and the dessert, a pistachio meringue, was outstanding!  I knew that I would have to come back. This time, since my grandmother did not want to eat outside, we sat inside of the restaurant.  I'm so glad we did. The second I walked in, I was in love!  The decor is stunning, with lots of  green vegetation, framed pictures of herbs and flowers and light color wood throughout.  The cabinets and the wainscoting help to create a very homey, inviting and comfortable feeling.    We got there very early when the restaurant was still empty but it was completely full as we were leaving.  My family eats dinner really early.  It's a habit from the olden days when breakfast was in the morning, se...