Polityka, The Ranking of Restaurants in Warsaw, 2003: ***** ABSYNT, French Restaurant ***** CHIANTI, Italian Trattoria ***** EL POPO, Mexican Restaurant ***** SANTORINI, Greek Taverna **** Meltemi, Greek Taverna
Playboy, a la carte: “Wood- framed windowpanes slide and open the interior to the street, therefore you still take part in city life from even being inside . This is Absynt, a restaurant situated right in the centre of Warsaw. (…) Absynt definitely contends for the title of the best French restaurant in Poland”.
Dobre Wnętrze, Culinary travels: “Anyone who likes a bohemian style and French elegance should visit Agnieszka and Marcin Kręglicki’s restaurant. The spirit of Paris in the heart of Warsaw.”
Villa, With great relish: „Here, we can order snails in garlic sauce and onion soup, see photographs of the Eiffel Tower and Alan Delon, and read French love letters while sipping Absinth - a famous green liquor of French bohemians.”
About CHIANTI:
Piotr Bikont, Gazeta Wyborcza, Italian pasta in the country of Piast: ”I accidentally came up against Chianti, a newly opened restaurant in the heart of Warsaw, however, I went back intentionally. In a carefully decorated basement in Foksal Street, the chef treats his guests to Italian dishes, like no one in Poland has done before (…) Chianti is a wonderful fulfilment of many years of Warsaw gourmets’ dream about a truly Italian cuisine, a friendly ambience and affordable prices. (…) There are more and more excellent chefs coming from Italy to Poland, which is a natural course of events. Indeed, it is not only one of the finest, most inspiring cuisines in the world but also a gustatory standard that proves perfect for Polish tastes. Chianti gives us a fresh and wonderful perspective of Italian cuisine.”
Renata Jarkowska, Villa, With great relish: „(…) Chianti was the first genuinely Italian restaurant in Warsaw, with authentic Italian products, vigorous chefs and a family atmosphere. It gained a positive reception from the very beginning. Today, it is said that it is the best Italian cuisine in Warsaw. The interior, prepared in detail and full of cosy nooks, is perfect for a romantic evening. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays you can listen to Italian serenades live. Waiters bustle about efficiently and care about the quests so they can enjoy themselves and feel comfortable. An outing to Chianti is like going on a long-awaited holiday to Italy.”
*** “Chianti is one of the places in Warsaw, where time goes by in its own special way. While visiting it, we are transferred to the region in Italy where perfect drinks are made from grapes ripened in Mediterranean sun; and to Tuscany, where dishes overflowing with the aroma of herbs are served.”
About EL POPO:
Warszawa - What, Where, When: ”(…) An ambience/atmosphere of Mexican fiesta pervades here; there is authentic Mexican music and excellent food; it’s hard to believe that we are in the centre of Warsaw on Senatorska Street. The place took its name from Popocatepetl , a volcano, at the feet of which Mexico City lies. Therefore, it is not strange that it’s hot in here (…) Those, who have been to Mexico and are now visiting the restaurant in Warsaw, come to the conclusion that dishes served here are real “specialidades”. The gold book entries confirm that, the restaurant with the logo of an Aztec volcano sign, has gained much recognition from gourmets and regular customers.”
Super Ekspress, A guide 7 days: “El Popo , at Senatorska Street, is a completely different restaurant serving Mexican food. The interior, despite its spaciousness, is very warm and cosy. There are Aztec paintings, sombreros, cactuses and a grill with open fire in the middle of the room. You can’t complain about the menu either. What we ate there was outstanding and “Caxitl popocatepetl” – a dish full of Mexican specialities for two - would easily be enough for four , even if they are really hungry.”
About FORTECA:
Rzeczpospolita, Stolnica, 16.07.2004: “An astonishing summer garden furnished in a summer mode by the Kręglicki family makes an ideal place for any kitchen activity, with great ambiance and a note of nostalgy. From behind a thick wall of a 19th -century fort, smoke comes out in clouds from an open fire place, flanks and grass are overwhelmed with a delicious aroma. Grilled food, slow food tastes, Greek – feta, tzatziki, and international Bbq ribs, neck shoulder marinated in beer, salads and even pasta – prevail here. Moreover, a historical courtyard has friendly acoustics, they play the Cds of Miles Davis and Diana Krall, who are accompanied by goats, competitive vocalists, bleating in the background. The cuisine is very simple and summery ; sparing no effort to do anything overly exquisite. Most appetizing, perhaps, is the smell of smoke because it creates the ambience from the moment you enter and makes your taste buds sizzle. You can smell it in the ribs or succulent and crispy bacon. The idea of this place is accompanied by a beautiful reflection that the traditional products have a special taste. I take my hat off to the concept of the place and can say that Forteca is the first affective slow food garden in Warsaw. Regional ingredients and delicacies, recommended by Slow Food Polska, are used here to prepare dishes. They care about quality and authenticity of the products trying to restore a different, perhaps forgotten, sensitivity and taste … Thus, Forteca, like a defensive tower, stands on guard of our Polish specialities – oscypek, bundz and gołka. This is the reason why we ordered first ‘Deska Slow Food’, that is traditionally made of cured meat and cheeses straight from Podhale; simply outstanding delicacies.(…) All these specialities are served with a thick slice cut off a huge bread loaf baked on a leaven and encrusted with grill soot. It was enough to smell the slice of bread to make you feel unearthly ready o eat.”
Gazeta Wyborcza, Warsaw Summer Gardens, 09.07.2004: “Forteca – Summer Garden is a new place in the old fort in the New Town (in Traugutt Park, opposite the Securities Company). So far, only single parties have taken place there. (…) Since the time Forteca ,an open air garden in the fort courtyard, opened, citizens of Warsaw have had a wider access to this incredible brick building raised, apparently, in the 19th century. Forteca – Summer Garden, which is a full name of Agnieszka and Marcin Kręglicki’s restaurant, has an open fire place and the attraction of two goats grazing on the roof of the fort. There is also a playground for children there. They serve salads, pasta and grill dishes. These are prepared from the ingredients recommended by the Slow Food Polska Organisation, which pays special attention to regional products prepared in traditional ways. That is why the Forteca menu contains baked oscypek or salad with chicken and bryndza..”
About MIRADOR / Tapas Bar:
Michał Nowak, Gazeta Wyborcza, Warsaw in every taste of this word: ” Tapas Bar, which belongs to the siblings of the Kręglicki family, is situated at the back of Grzybowski Square, thus nearly in the centre. However, it stays off usual Warsaw routes. I went there only a few days ago and I fell in love with it straight away/immediately. (…) It is a pleasant interior full of dark wood which can be associated with Spain as well as any other country where people like eating. The next attraction of ‘Tapas Bar’ after the pleasant inside is a waitress, full of skittish charm, who knows local specialities and can recommend well. It was her who suggested enriching our dish of tapas with a few extra wonders. First, there was grilled, peeled pepper filled with cod (a real revelation!), then veal and pork meatballs in a fricassee made of potatoes and green peas (brilliant!), after that – chicken legs stewed in white wine with whole garlic cloves (get on your knees, nations!) and there was also a composition of dark and light anchovies on tomato slices with capers (yum-yum!).The dish of tapas itself was quite nice: omelette with potatoes, small octopuses stewed in red wine, small cheese croquettes, fried oyster mushroom and crusty Polish-style ravioli with tuna filling (…) And this is big enough to be called a profuse meal. But I’m never interested in less. I always need more. That’s why I ordered a chicken-rabbit dish and ribs in vegetables too. It was just delicious. The aromas of stewed meat and vegetables complemented each other so perfectly, that a comforting calmness took control over my soul. The peace, however, was suddenly invaded by unrestrained emotions: paella pollo y marisco, that is a frying pan full of rice roasted with seafood and pieces of chicken. Generally, I like this pride of the Spanish table, but paella in the Kręglicki’s restaurant was of the highest quality: the rice was just perfectly brown roasted; the abundance of all kinds of sea creatures; and chicken wasn’t missing either. Only the bitterness of green peppers tormented slightly my taste buds. But soon it was soothed by a great soft, crumbly chocolate cake and no less terrific ice cream of a biscuit flavour(…).”
About SANTORINI:
Polityka, Styl: “We have written reviews of Warsaw restaurants with Greek cuisine several times. None of them can compare to the one on Saska Kępa. In a not-so-big pavilion in Egipska Street a real Greek taverna was arranged. The tables irregularly arranged, Greek music and the aroma of perfect oil welcome the gourmets right in the doorway, reminding them of the Aegean Islands. (…) Quite a lot of dishes are made of lamb, according to the Greek tradition. Paidakia – lamb chops with bones – very tasty. And arni kleftiko, lamb with vegetables, roasted in parchment paper is the top of finesse.”
Businessman,Taverna smelling with herbs: “ A good looking interior goes together with the high quality cuisine. The food in Santorini is so good that it satisfies even gourmets who are difficult to please.”
Piotr Bikont, I have eaten in ..., Gazeta Wyborcza, 31.05.1996: “I forsee that the newly opened Santorini will become a Warsaw summer hit and the most stylish place to go on a date. Although from the outside it is completely inconspicuous, it’s placed in a typical Gierek-like shopping centre. The interior, however, looks like a dream: we are straight away transferred a few hundred miles down south to a Mediterranean restaurant with walls heated up by a shining sun. It’s wonderful and romantic.”
