After months of being no more than a logo on some parchment in the window, Lokal Vegan Bistro have finally opened on Krucza across from the Mercure. Well I’m always up for some guilt-free eating to make my body feel like a temple rather than a truck stop, so why not. The interior looks a little like a New Age milk bar, the kind that’s left the design down to IKEA, but looking at the above-counter menu you soon realize there’s more to this place than meets the eye.
The first time my dining partner was my daughter, who I have to say is an expert when it comes to tomato soup: she glowed at the sight of the wriggly green worms (homemade kluski with parsley) inside this well-tuned broth. As for me, I let out a bit of a snobby sneer when I saw schabowy on the list. “Surely,” I thought, “these clowns don’t think they can pull-off a meat free impersonation of the idolized pork chop?” Yes, they can – they knocked it out of the park. While I can’t say the food is ‘meat imitation’ it was a whole lot better than some of the chops I’ve had in my time.
Returning another time I ordered the kebab. The seitan seasoning worked marvels and proved fast food doesn’t need to be junk food. While I didn’t try the desserts they too looked well worth further research which, considering the zł. 8 limitless coffee, already looks on the cards. After years of serving dull, timid dishes Warsaw’s alt. food culture, it appears, has finally found its taste buds. (KD)

Lokal Vegan Bistro
ul.Krucza 23/31, 517 615 122, facebook.com/lokalmargines