Insider Food Diary

What else found itself on the Insider‘s dinner table in September? We’ll start with the best first, and that meant a trip to Mokotowska 69 for filet mingnon (below) and Mazurian crayfish in a rowan brandy cream sauce (above)

. I’m not sure which I preferred more, though both say much for a kitchen that’s confident and assured.

Next, a quick lunch in the hip Bazar Kocha saw the presentation of a cauliflower steak with sous-vide cooked grapes, salsify and baked topinambur – comforting but complex, it’s a dish built to battle the growing autumn chill.

Best dessert? Simple but sensual, a poached pear at the atmospheric Rusiko Wine Bar.

The biggest surprise mind, that was in Rucola – you don’t expect much from a high street pizza chain, but there’s a reason Rucola is packed around the clock: decent standards, decent prices (my God, what a good idea!). Pictured: mozarella cheese wrapped in Prosciutto ham.

For a hefty lunch, then Momu ticks boxes for simplicity and weight. The mixed grill packs a big, brawny punch.

Drinks, and the the murky, mucky Czeska Baszta stood out in September for its ace collection of Czech beers directly sourced from the owner’s favorite small town breweries.

And finally, Spatif Bistro – a great find for a slow coffee on sexy Mokotowska.