Fun times: for the last few days I’ve been laid-up at home, shaking off the snotty remnants of a stubborn flu. Anyway, there has been a silver lining, and that’s been the chance to reacquaint myself with the home delivery industry. The surprise of the bunch? Step forward Pełną Parą.

I’ve been meaning to give it a try for a while now, but repeated attempts in Feb drew a blank: whenever I passed by, it seemed like the whole population of Warsaw – and a few from outside – had got there before me. A full house and not a spare table. But if I can’t go to Pełną Parą, then Pełną Parą can come to me. Bearing in mind that pretty much every cuisine loses something when placed in transit, it speaks volumes that this place left such an impression.

First, a Thai soup with lemongrass and chicken: fragrant, deep and nourishing, it’s something that instantly lifts the spirit and soul. It’s not the best Thai soup there is in Warsaw, but it is the best Thai soup you’ll find for zł. 16.

It’s the dim sum they’re famous for mind, with eight variations thereof. I’ve gone for ‘duck, orange and Sichuan pepper’, and find myself knocked sideways by these beautiful pouches of meaty goodness. Impossible to get tired of, these are of a standard that bring to mind London’s Chinatown. Simply brilliant value at zł. 18.

The weak link is the crispy duck – at zł. 35, it’s actually the most expensive item on the menu, but the duck isn’t so much crispy as it is dry and overcooked. Underwhelming.

But I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt – I don’t think this is the kind of dish that travels well on a moped. The bottom line is that Pełną Parą is about the dim sum, and this they do incredibly well. In fact, I think they’ve set a benchmark that the rest of the city will struggle to reach. Frankly, it’s fabulous.

Pełną Parą
ul. Sienna 76, pelnapara.pl