New addition sparks enthusiasm on 'eat street'

What else would you name a new restaurant sitting next door to the bars-cum-cafés, Szpilka and Szpulka, other than Szparka? Inspired by alliteration - and perhaps even a little sexual connotation (szpilka is a needle, szpulka is a cotton spool and szparka is a tiny hole) - this new café on pl. Trzech Krzyży is a welcome member on what is fast becoming Warsaw's first "eat street." In addition to this trio, there is Café 6/12, which sits next door to Compagnia del Sole, Żuraw, and the brand new Pa'poo. Down the road there is Rubikon and next month, India Curry is making the move from Galeria Mokotów to this little strip. Stroll along the street at night, and you will see people spilling out of the restaurants onto the table-littered footpath, enjoying fine food, wine and bonhomie. As for me, in the last 10 days, I have eaten at Café Szparka four times. There is just something about this place that keeps me coming back. I had lunch with a friend one day, an evening meal with two other friends, and then followed this up with yet another dinner, and yet another lunch.

I think Szparka's success is a combination of location, ambiance and competent food. The owners have done a nice "remont" job that has something for everyone: There are warm tones on the walls, big pieces of modern art, copper fixtures, a bar with big stools (although the plush velour chairs are a little dubious), nude photos on the walls at the back and even an upstairs floor. But the best thing about Szparka is the footpath dining: the concertina doors of the restaurant open onto the streets, and tables nestle under two shady trees and umbrellas. Perhaps that's why Szpilka and Szpulka - where the tables and chairs bake in the hot summer sun - appear to be empty of late. Szparka also has a weekly live music program and a closing time of 5 a.m. ... or later, leaving just enough time for a quick clean before the doors open for the early morning breakfast crowd at 7 a.m. As for the food, it could be some of the best café nosh around. It's nothing too flashy or complicated, but it's simple, well presented, the ser-vings are generous and the prices very reasonable.

At dinner No. 2, David chose the grilled chicken breast with fried wild pepper mushrooms and tarragon sauce, served with baked potatoes. The whole breast was pan-fried with a crispy peppered skin in a delicate sauce with fresh tarragon, and served with wonderfully buttery mushrooms. My veal with Parma ham and walnut puree was just as impressive: A small, tender piece of veal topped with a crisped piece of Parma ham and served with scoops of walnut and potato puree, which, despite my initial skepticism, worked well and had the slightest nutty flavor. My meal also came with carrots, beans and snow peas. Although they were a little overcooked, it had been so long since I'd seen this sweet green veggie that I was happy. For dessert we shared a slice of apple pie that was, well ... OK. I have to say that an earlier dinner of Szparka's lasagne left me wondering "where's the pasta," but thankfully the meat sauce was delicious.

The following day for lunch, David ate a huge bowl of tagliatelle tossed lightly in a simple tomato sauce, served with grilled chicken, and just a few small pieces of the powerfully flavored gorgonzola cheese, which passed the taste test. I had a salad of grilled chicken, served with lettuce, fresh orange and ruby grapefruit pieces, roasted walnuts and a curry dressing. It was a refreshing combination, although some of the walnuts were horribly bitter and impossible to eat. The menu also has a great breakfast selection - everything from pancakes with maple syrup (I can foresee another trip to Szparka, just to check these out) to traditional Polish śniadanie fare, to croissants, muesli, yogurt and bacon and eggs. Szparka is also child-friendly, with a great kids' menu and a vegetarian menu, too. There's a cocktail list that you could spend a few visits working your way through, but sadly, a very limited wine selection. Dinner for two (with a few beers) came to zł. 136 ($33). Lunch for two came to zł. 61 ($14.80).

From the menu: Five pancakes and maple syrup zł. 15 Salmon carpaccio with balsamic vinegar, ruccola and ciabata bread zł. 19 Grilled chicken salad with lettuce, fresh orange and grapefruit pieces, roast walnuts and a curry dressing zł. 21 Tagliatelle with grilled chicken, tomato and gorgonzola cheese zł. 20.50 Grilled chicken breast with fried wild pepper and mushrooms and tarragon sauce, served with baked potatoes zł. 27 Veal with Parma ham and walnut puree zł. 30 Homemade apple pie with ice cream zł. 12