Despite annoying quirks, Manufaktura off to fairly good start
Crepes, pancakes, nalesniki the words are often used interchangeably by sloppy menu translators here, but anyone who's tried them all knows there's a world of difference between a delicate French crepe, a good old American short stack drenched in maple syrup and an ice cream and fruit-laden nalesnik.
I first heard that a creperie would be going in on ulica Bednarska before leaving for my summer holiday in Brittany, a region famed throughout France for its crepes. Therefore, I wondered if the nalesniki on Manufaktura's menu were going to be the usual sweet Polish version, of which I'm frankly not too fond, or the hearty, filling Breton-style crepes sale that had kept me fed in Finistere.
I tried to visit Manufaktura for a quick bite before going to cheer on France in the rugby world cup on TV, but I couldn't get a table. It was not that the place was so full of people there just aren't a lot of tables. And most of the tables they do have are large, picnic table-sized jobs that could have seated six, but were taken up by couples. I didn't feel like being a third wheel at one of those so I left. Instead, I ate a soggy zapiekanka from a street vendor before watching the match and les bleus lost.
I went back to Manufaktura the next day, one of those foggy, damp, dark days we've been having lately. A good day for some comfort food. I walked in alone with a rolled up copy of Le Monde in my pocket carrying news of the previous day's depressing defeat. This time I got a table straightaway, a three top by the wall.
Manufaktura has a great location on the most charming street in the city. A few trendy boutiques have settled there recently, and now with Manufaktura up and running, the long-neglected street seems to be enjoying a renaissance. The restaurant's two dining rooms are both at street level, but the low, arched ceilings and exposed brickwork on the walls give it a bit of a cellar-pub feel. But the main room is just too empty they could easily fit in another four or five tables. As it is, the room winds up feeling like a bus terminal waiting room, with the center space taken up by people waiting for tables to become free.
I settled in at my large table and was quickly handed a laminated menu. I was in luck Manufaktura features a Breton-style creperie selection that could have come straight from Quimper. The first half lists "salted crepes," most of which go for zl. 11. A dozen or so choices are available, including various toppings and combinations consisting of egg, cheese, salami, mushrooms, spinach and pickles. A second page lists the sweet crepes, with fillings such as vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and fruit.
The menu does not, however, contain alcoholic beverages.
It's "cola, fanta, sprite," juice or water. It would be a nice touch if they could put some cider on the menu, to make it even more like a Breton creperie, but, in its absence, I was stuck with water.
To start, I ordered a crepe with egg, cheese and salami. It came quickly enough, in about 10 minutes, which gave me just enough time to read the lead story on the rugby loss and crumple up the sports section in dejection. My crepe brought some relief it was just as I had remembered from my summer holiday a thin, golden brown crepe folded into a square. Inside was a layer of gooey melted cheese, salami and a fried egg. It would have been better if they left the yolk runny, but overall it was a tasty crepe.
I was still hungry and figured I needed to taste a few more things here to judge Manufaktura fairly. But service slipped a little as the place filled up, and I was given the cold shoulder by three different waiters and waitresses when I tried to call them over. Finally I was able to order, asking for a vegetarian crepe with spinach and garlic sauce. I thought that while I had the waiter's ear, I ought to order dessert, too, rather than wait who knows how long for a third chance. The apple and cinnamon crepe (zl. 8) sounded like a good bet.
The spinach crepe wasn't as good as my first one. Too much frozen, soggy spinach turned it into a sloppy mess, although I appreciated the heavily applied, thick and gooey garlic sauce. I would not order that one again, however. The dessert crepe on the other hand was a winner, with a tasty apple-sauce filling spiced with just the right amount of cinnamon, and decoratively topped off with a slice of fresh apple. I finished, feeling satiated, with a decent cup of espresso (zl. 5).
On balance, Manufaktura is one of the city's rare beasts an affordable, mid-level restaurant in the Old Town. Despite some new-restaurant kinks to work out more tables, brisker service it's still worth checking out. However, the absence of beer, wine or cider on the menu is a downer. My bill came to zl. 38 ($9.04).
