Lazy Sunday afternoon
Caffe Balgera
ul. Koszykowa 1
Tel. 629-0189
Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekends
The most popular places to eat are often those that go about business quietly, often through word of mouth, maintaining a faithful clientele who return again and again.
A Sunday voyage of gastronomic discovery left me shipwrecked outside Magellan, which was inexplicably closed. In tow was Monika, a pottery designer with an eye for detail, and together we ambled through the city before spying Caffe Balgera hiding between a small grocer's and the Guinness Pub on ulica Koszykowa.
This prim little cafe is the lesser sibling of the grander Ristorante Balgera on ulica Rejtana. It's an odd little shop of culinary curios with two glass counters housing an array of treats. On the right, a dessert counter featured rows of little Italian biscotti: some with walnut chips, others stuck back to back with a creamy filling. The dozens of colorful varieties of desserts, larger cakes or Pasticcini with zabaglione or chocolate cream and stunning tortes dripping with fresh strawberries, kiwi and pineapple looked so good I was prepared to forego starters and main course and head straight for dessert. Monika, however, had other ideas and dragged me over to the counter opposite.
Here was a choice of light salads, sauces, tarts and pasta dishes on colorful, rustic plates. The waitress said these are ferried over from the bigger Balgera three times a day and there's often no way of knowing what will be arriving. Granted, it's an odd restaurant that has no made-to-order steaks or fresh sauces, but the fine-looking fare under the glass is reheated when chosen and it is fine looking.
The decor in Caffe Balgera is dominated by the honey-toned warmth of pine, from the counters all the way up to the beams propping up the mezzanine. There is just enough room to contain the shop and a split-level cafe under one roof with the handful of tables hidden from the customers in a small niche, where Monika and I quickly stowed away.
Our waitress was young and cheerful and not only knew the menu but made it sound worth the effort. I preferred to hover by the food counter and order various dishes that caught my eye.
Sadly, after picking out some delicious-looking numbers, when our food eventually arrived it all came at once. But regardless of the queue of meals cluttering our table, I took my time over the Vitello Tonnato, one of those simple Italian dishes that, when skillfully pulled off, makes a memorable lunch. In Caffe Balgera's version the sauce was nicely smooth and had just a hint of tuna, with strips of delicious, tender white veal. This was Monika's choice, but I ended up taking liberties and eating the lion's share. My Pomodoro Mozzarella was also delicious, with sweet cherry tomatoes and supple, fresh mozzarella.
The Tarta Salata arrived with an aroma of nutmeg, blending with the flavors of asparagus, red pepper and ham in a flaky pastry: so good, I immediately ordered more. Monika warned me of nutmeg's soporific properties, but I was determined to start what I finished, even at the risk of an impromptu nap.
By this time Monika was raving about the Melanzone alla Parmigiana with its layers of baked eggplant. After this we paused and ordered some jasmine tea, which helps bind things together nicely. But during the pause my Mozzarella Ovoletti went cold and I made the mistake of asking for it to be reheated. When it returned the bechamel had fused together with the spinach, ham and peppers into an immensely hot, uniform but still fairly tasty mass.
We lingered for ages, Monika finding the place all the more charming when the trickle of diners thinned out a little and we were left to enjoy the air conditioning and the sleepy Italian trip-hop oozing through the speakers. I sneaked in a pleasant little slice of Crostata fruit tart and we finished off with a quick coffee. Our tasty random sampling of Caffe Balgera's goodies, without wine, cost zl. 154 ($36).
On the menu:
Vitello tonnato zl.20
Mozzarella ovoletti zl. 20
Melanzone alla parmigiana zl.25
Pomodoro Mozzarella zl.26
Tarta salata zl. 8
Crostata fruit tart zl. 8
