Wrapped inside a 1950s facade, the former printing house containing Drukarnia opens up to expose a sensational interior high on retro pieces: jagged-shaped stone floor tiles, a red neon and stern Socialist era statuettes lend a heavy PRL accent, though the big statement at Drukarnia is supplied courtesy of the architecture itself. Tall windows, high ceilings and a peculiar spiral staircase that disappears into nowhere collude to lend this restaurant a sense of light, space and depth.

Curious, engaging and striking in its look, this interior has been complimented by a menu that fits perfectly with the aesthetics: unusual and stimulating, it is food to make you think, and that much is clear from the outset with starters that involve an array of salty donuts.

Just when you thought you had seen it all in the wacky world of Warsaw, along come pretty little donuts topped with bacon and chocolate icing or smoked salmon, chives and Sriracha sauce. Playful and delicious, they’re surpassed only by a plump, princely donut smothered with gorgonzola and mango salsa.

This, though, is not some random outbreak of creativity, rather a prelude to a menu that excels in pushing boundaries. Salmon marinated in citrus is next, with surprising peaks of flavor supplied by a wasabi mayonnaise that decorates the plate. Subtly complex, it’s a primer for a meal that keeps reaching new heights.

Startling in its color, a cauliflower risotto with marinated beetroot, chives and peas follows and is a fine testament to the chef’s palate, yet even this pales when compared to the steak. Place on a celery puree, and accompanied by marinated radish, it’s a dish of huge, banging flavors and pure, unhinged joy.

Dessert? Well after mains like that, you’d be a fool not to. Chocolate fondant might feel passé but here you understand why its become such a mainstay round the kitchens of the world. Piping hot, intensely rich, and presented with a scoop of salty caramel ice cream, it’s a beautiful journey into chocolatey bliss. But yes, there are alternatives: opening with a satisfying crack, the brulee reveals a glorious pistachio center that matches well with the resin ice cream perched on top.

Announcing themselves as specialists in ‘wild dining’, much happens to back up this claim. However, the true triumph of Drukarnia doesn’t lie in providing food that thrills and excites, but in providing food that tastes darn good. 

Drukarnia

ul. Mińska 65, drukarnianapradze.pl