This easy to miss new Italian eatery is worth looking for
When taking a recommendation to visit Ristorante Balgera, I was glad my friend gave me good directions. It is easy to miss. You could walk or drive by, blink, and miss it. The building address is on ulica Sandomierska, but the restaurant entrance is around the corner on ulica Rejtana.
On a quiet Monday evening, Sister Bertrille and I arrived early for a dinner with the Swami, who also did not immediately recognize it as a restaurant.
"My first impression is that it's well lit. It could be a school. Is it a meeting place or a lecture place?" the Swami said.
He was happy to stroll up the stairs and see a window carved out of the wall to the dining room. A mirror on the far side of the room added the illusion of depth and spaciousness. Painted white, the two main rooms (smoking and non-smoking) have high ceilings and hardwood floors. A third room could be separated for private occasions.
Wooden chairs with wicker caning surrounded comfortably large tables set in white linen and hand-painted Solimene plates from Italy. This simple, home-like room has a certain elegance.
The Swami took it all in, with a deep breath and a smile, and pronounced it good, including the starters and Chianti we had ordered in his absence.
"If there is wine, bread, tomatoes, cheese, garlic and meat," he said, "it is almost a feast." The good sister and I had chosen two modest starters: Bresaola (zl. 26) a salt-cured veal served with shaved Parmesan, and the Insalata Toscana (zl. 25), containing tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
The former was exquisite with paper-thin slices of dry meat that tasted between prosciutto and pastrami. The latter was different from expectation; cherry tomatoes instead of sliced ripe tomatoes. No fresh leaves of basil and the sweet taste of balsamic was so light it was almost missed. Even though it was not what I expected, the combination of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella is always a wonderful start to a meal.
The Swami also ordered some Bruscette (zl. 10). The toast came piled high with fresh toppings. They must have been good because he devoured them without pausing.
We washed this down with fresh-squeezed orange juice (zl. 10) while we waited for the wine to breathe.
The wine list was short and simple. The low end (zl. 90) was shared by three reds and one white, while the priciest vintage was the Pasqua Amarone 1998 (zl. 460). House red and white sold for zl. 10 a glass.
Tragedy struck when we ordered a Chianti, only to hear "nie ma." Our friendly waiter explained that they had been open for only a month and just hadn't anticipated the demand for Chianti. They had replaced the variety on the wine list, he said, with a Castellani Chianti 1998 and the price was ... we had to ask ... we were expecting the old bait and switch ... only zl. 70.
What? For that price we could have had two bottles instead of the zl. 135 we were going to spend on the other Chianti.
The bottle arrived. The label was displayed for approval. The waiter removed the cork and placed it on a saucer for inspection. He poured a taste into a glass.
As I swirled it, preparing for a sniff and a sip, he began pouring the lady's glass without waiting for a nod of approval. "I'd better like this," I thought, lifting the goblet to my lips. It was heavy and green tasting.
Smacking my lips, I thought some more. This will be fine after it breathes a bit, and it was. The taste mellowed to a very nice table wine, the kind that washes food down well but you don't have to feel criminal for not savoring every sip.
And it was on to the main courses. The waiter produced an English translation of the menu, a work in progress, which wasn't ready for publication but was very helpful. Throughout the evening the service was pleasant, polite and attentive.
Sister Bertrille chose the ravioli with spinach and ricotta (zl. 30). The ravioli, made on the premises (all of the pastas and tortes are made in-house) came without sauce, garnished with a little bell pepper and grated Parmesan, which melted onto the pasta. On first bite, the good sister let out three ecstatic sighs, which gave the impression she was up to something unholy, but really only meant she loved this light dish.
"These little hats will not keep me grounded," she proclaimed, pointing to the round, handmade pastas. "I was worried about the cheese (from its description), but they will not weigh me down."
For his main course, the Swami chose the Crespelle (zl. 30), a crepe with cottage cheese and traces of ham in a bechamel sauce, preceded by a bowl of minestrone soup.
Not the usual beans and vegetable mix, this minestrone featured kidney beans and pasta in a dark broth. Herbs created an aromatic background that elevated the gravy-like broth.
His main course was so tender and light, he pronounced it "more delicate than a one-week-old baby's bottom." I, personally, have never tasted a one-week-old baby's bottom, but I did try some of this Crespelle and found it scrumptious.
For the main, I chose grilled venison in a juniper berry sauce (zl. 70). The medallions of meat were grilled brown on the outside, red on the inside. This usually dark-tasting, tough game split easily at the push of my knife and benefited from a slightly smoky taste. It was delicate and delicious in the juniper gravy, which would make any gin drinker happy.
This dish came with a side of usually detestable brussels sprouts, which were surprisingly tasty in garlic butter, and three crescents of polenta, which unfortunately were on the greasy side.
We finished our exquisite meal with cappuccinos (zl. 8), a slice of chocolate cake (zl. 25) and a slice of strawberry torte (zl. 25). The cake was wonderfully rich, satisfying the good sister's chocoholic cravings, but had been sitting uncovered for too long and one side had grown stale. The strawberry tart was equally dry and placed unceremoniously on a small plate. Both desserts would have benefited from a scoop of something wet. For dessert, the Swami followed his espresso (zl. 6) with a shot of grappa (zl. 20). The waiter finished off our evening, and that of the tables around us, by walking around with a plate of complimentary cookies from their ovens a wonderful touch.
By the time we left, about 8 p.m., tables were filling up. Considering this was a Monday night, I would recommend reservations if you plan to visit on weekends.
Dinner for three with wine and dessert came to zl. 473 ($115), a good price tag, but well worth it. Unfortunately, the house said they were not able to give me a faktura VAT at the time and that we had to pick it up the next day.
This well-hidden restaurant in Mokotow is worth the effort to find. Its difficult location may keep it from becoming a "place to be seen" and put it in a classier spot in the Warsaw dining register. It has a few bugs to work out, such as completion of the English menu, and proper wine pouring, but it holds great promise for entertaining clients, romantic dinners, and special occasions. I recommend it highly.
