Senses
A spectacular experience from start to finish: begin by walking through a flame-lit tunnel, and then conclude the night with an edible cigar – a grand tobacco flavored pastry infused with whisky and cinnamon. In between that, our night goes something like this: beetroot bread with a teat pipette of apple essence; a pumpkin soup impossibly sandwiched between cranberry sorbet on the bottom and a layer of gooey oscypek cheese on the top. Not everything is perfect: what the tasting menu describes as Arctic trout / black caviar / almonds / dill is too subtle to make anything but a passing impact. But he who dares, wins. Chef Andrea Camastra unleashes the artillery with a beef rib that’s a big blast of smoke and crunch. A palette cleanser – a test tube of pear, lime and mint – precedes the next course, a shellfish goulash that’s rich and rough and rolling in flavor. Marvellous. Perfectly paced, expertly portioned and bristling with invention, this is a meal generously scattered with peaks and talking points. You leave dazzled: could this be Warsaw’s next Michelin star in the making? On this performance, most certainly. (EDITORIAL UPDATE MARCH 9th: yes it is!)

Senses
ul. Bielańska 12, website

Also nominated:
Nolita, Concept 13, Salto, La Rotisserie