Meal #43 – Poland

For our Polish meal we went to Borsch, Vodka and Tears – but we ate no borsch, and we cried no tears. We did, however, have a couple of vodkas; I guess one out of three ain’t bad…

Borsch, Vodka and Tears
Vodka Bar and Modern Polish Cuisine
173 Chapel St. Windsor

Borsch Vodka and Tears is a trendy vodka bar located on one of Melbourne’s busiest and trendiest streets. It has trendy décor (a mix of old Eastern Europe and modern designer chic), it has trendy customers (a mix of middle-age Eastern European diners and young, trendy drinkers) and it has a trendy drinks list (more flavours of infused vodkas than you could ever tempt Boris Yeltsin with). Thankfully, they also serve quality food (which is served on trendy, faux-traditional plates).

This week’s photo-less posse of pristine Polish purveyors were Caroline, Nick, Sai and Rami.

Entrée:

Zakuski (a Polish style antipasto) – a selection of herrings (rollmops and herring in oil), Russian salad, pickled mushrooms, Polish dill cucumbers, baby beetroot, grilled whitebait and a basket of rye bread.

Mains:

Meat Pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings) – beef, chicken, herbs and spices with a paprika meat sauce.
Vegetarian Pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings) – porcini mushroom and sauerkraut with a breadcrumb coating.
Gypsy Soup – spiced vegetable soup with ham and smoky sausage.

Dessert:

Gundel – a warm chocolate filled crepe adorned with hazelnuts and cream
Russian honey cake

Dessert Drinks:

Sour cherry and honey (after dinner vodka)
Palikotowka 10 years old 40% (infused vodka premium spirit with almond & raisin)

Entrées:

The entrée platter was advertised in the menu to be for two people, but we found that it was more than satisfactory for four people, with the fish dishes being a highlight – especially the rollmops and the grilled whitebait. The Polish herrings and dill cucumbers were sweeter than those we sampled from previous cuisines; the baby beetroot was served grated and mixed with horseradish, making for a great side; however the pickled mushrooms were more “tinned champignons” than “pickled”…

Mains:

Although there were several borsch options on the menu, we decided to give the Gypsy soup a try. Due to its tomato base, this soup was reminiscent to an Italian minestrone, but without the same level of ‘chunkiness.’ Both pierogi dishes were delicious, however the servings could have been a bit larger. The meat pierogi were soft and sweet, with the meat and paprika combining very well; the vegetarian pierogi, on the other hand, were crunchy (due to the coating of breadcrumbs) and savory, with the warm sauerkraut giving the dumplings a slight kick.

Desserts:

The rich chocolate of the gundel was a great way to finish the meal, the soft crepes almost melting in our mouths. The hazelnuts on this dish, unfortunately, were served raw, and would have been more palatable had they had been roasted. The layered honey cake was well received, but could have been enhanced with a dollop of cream. Both desserts were complimented by the dessert drinks, making for a complete meal.

Overall:

Due to a last minute booking, we were seated right next to the door, which provide an unwanted arctic blast every time someone entered or exited the restaurant. This, however, did nothing to cool off our appreciation of a well presented and extremely tasty meal. The staff was attentive and friendly, and the décor allowed for a relaxed atmosphere in which to dine in. The dishes were reasonably priced, although we would have liked a few more pierogi for the mains. We would be tempted back, not only for the food, but also to further explore the vast and impressive vodka list…