Groovy new bar destinated to be a star
The wedding season is almost over for the year, and that means it's finally safe to pack away your taffeta gown, stop warbling "Sto Lat," and give your liver the rest it deserves after all those celebratory vodka shots. It's been a record-breaking year for me, with invitations to seven weddings - including my own. One colleague was unlucky enough to be doing the "ślubne thing" on eight consecutive Saturdays. But sadly, the passing of the white-frock season also heralds the beginning of autumn; and that means winter is just around the corner, and the search will be on for new (indoor) weekend activities. Finding a groovy new bar in Warsaw used to something of a task, but now Varsovians are spoiled for choice. The latest in a long list of hip new venues is Paparazzi. Squeezed between Kuźnia Smaku and the Viking snooker hall on ulica Mazowiecka, Paparazzi is a café/bar/restaurant that has just opened.
If the name sounds familiar, that's because Paparazzi has identical locations in Kraków and Zakopane. And it means that this Paparazzi has that vague kind of comfortable "franchise" feel about it - you know you'll get good service, you know the food will be edible, and you know the prices won't be exorbitant. Paparazzi's interior is dominated by a big central bar (think of a groovy version of the American sitcom "Cheers"), with backlit shelves for the bottles and low-hung lighting. The bar takes its name from the dozens of black-and-white paparazzi photos of famous celebrities that line the walls and dangle from the ceiling. The good thing about Paparazzi is that it's big enough to hold a throbbing group of after-fivers on a Friday night. There are green banquettes along the wall, tall, intimate tables with lamps along the window front and a mezzanine floor with tables and chairs. There's a good music selection on the turntable, discreet lighting and attentive staff. What's more, Paparazzi boasts a drink menu that's crammed as full as a dipsomaniac's grog cabinet.
On the night Natasha and I popped in for a bite, we started our evening with a Tequila Sunrise and a Bloody Mary - both of which hit the spot. The Bloody Mary even came complete with the obligatory celery swizzle stick. We could have chosen from single malt whiskies, champagne, six different types of martinis, alcohol-laced coffees, any manner of exotic cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic punches for the teetotalers. As for the food, the menu is well, rather concise. There were two soups, a few kanapki, some pasta, a small vegetarian selection and a handful of desserts. This place is clearly geared for drinkers, the lunch crowd or those after a quick nighttime bite in between drinks. We made our selection in seconds: Natasha's pappardelle with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and chicken in a very light cream sauce got the nod of approval. "I think these are some of the best sun-dried tomatoes I've tasted," she said. "And the sauce is not too cheesy. It really tastes homemade." The same could be said of my vegetarian lasagna - a robust wedge of lasagna filled with eggplant and tomatoes and topped with a homemade tomato sauce and served with a small salad. The dessert menu was equally brief: a lemon tart, apple cake and a pan-fried banana with caramel Cointreau sauce and ice cream. I opted for the lemon tart - a giant slice of tart filled with a tangy, lemon butter, served with three small scoops of creamy ice cream. It was perfect, save for some heavy-duty pastry.
Natasha went the healthier option with the pan-fried banana. It disappeared in a few moments, along with an espresso. I dropped by at lunchtime the next day to find Paparazzi all but empty. It's a shame because this place looked just as good in the daylight, and my baguette with roasted chicken was a perfect rendition of a sandwich. All in all, Paparazzi does what it does well. It's a bar with plenty of atmosphere (let's just hope it attracts a few more guests), excellent cocktails, a simple food menu that is well prepared, tastefully presented, and all at a good price. Next time, I'll grab a bunch of friends and head to Paparazzi to reminisce over this summer's batch of weddings with a few liver-wrecking cocktails and beer chasers. And the owner is planning to organize live music and DJs throughout the week, too. Dinner for two, including drinks, came to zł. 133 ($32).
From the menu: Baguette with grilled chicken zł. 11 Ciabatta with black olive paste, prosciutto and melted mozzarella zł. 14 Pappardelle with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and chicken zł. 19 Vegetable lasagna zł. 18 Goat cheese salad zł. 13 Lemon tart zł. 11 Pan-fried banana with caramel Cointreau sauce and ice cream zł. 11
