Porta 13 offers organic meals in a streamlined setting

Porta 13 opened earlier this summer with much fanfare and a star-studded party that happened to take place on the same day as the monthly Warsaw Insider party. I was able to drop in for just a second, however, and it was enough to make an impression.

A few days later, my girlfriends and I were strolling down ul. Chmielna when thoughts of tangy margaritas and shortening summer days drew us to Porta 13. We got exactly what we'd hoped for - bittersweet refreshment. We followed the first round up with another and then another, unable to resist ourselves. At zł.22 a pop, the margaritas weren't too pricey, either.

Staring hungrily at the menu after a day of strenuous sightseeing, we ran into trouble - too many good choices. The descriptions looked so interesting, from natural foie gras with plums pickled in armagnac (zł.75) to stewed sweetbread with wild mushrooms and wine (zł.35). Feeling a little less adventurous than usual, we opted start with the avocado mousse with lime and herbs (zł.23), goat cheese roulade with herbs (zl.35) and grilled oscypek cheese with cranberry (zł.21). The avocado mousse easily beats most guacamole I've had in the city and the oscypek was praise-worthy all the way to Zakopane.

Then it was on to our main courses. My Baltic salmon with leek and caper sauce (zł.39) was tender and satisfying, while my friend's baked duck was crisp on the outside and succulent on the inside. The restaurant has made a convert of me.

Porta 13 Bio Restaurant
ul. Chmielna 13A
tel. 022 505-9999
Open daily 6:30-10:30 and 12:00-23:00