Retoryka
Street is one of the most charming places in Kraków. If you're near
the Wawel Castle, you should take a stroll through this tree-lined
alley and examine fairy-like historic houses design by Teordor
Talowski. One of the most important Polish architects at the turn of
the 19th and 20th centuries, Talowski created here a row of brick
houses with fanciful details and names.
My favourite
buildings are Under the Singing Frog ('Dom pod Śpiewającą Żabą'
in Polish) and Under the Donkey ('Dom pod Osłem' in Polish –
there's even a stone donkey's head protruding form the wall). Some of the
façades impart to passers-by Latin pearls of wisdom, such as:
Festina lente (Make haste slowly) or Faber est suae quisque fortunae
(Every man is the artisan of his own fortune). An interesting piece
of trivia is a fact that the middle of the Retoryka Street used to
be... a river.
Nearby you
can find a newly opened bistro - Kardamon Cafe (Cardamon in
English). Even though it's located very close to the main tourist
attractions, it has a peaceful, not to say lazy, atmosphere. One
cold, rainy evening I walked with my dog through Retoryka Street. I had a cold and
all I wanted was a cup of some hot beverage. No wonder, brilliantly
illuminated, green Kardamon seemed to me a haven of peace. As soon as
I entered, a waitress brought a bowl of water (for my dog) and hot,
very tasty latte with ginger syrup (for me). After over an hour of
sipping at the warming coffee, looking through the books on the shelf
and chatting with the friendly waitress and other patrons, my dog and
I were ready continue our walk through the rain.
And today
I've decided to try Kardamon's daily lunch menu. Its price ranges from PLN
14 to PLN 25 and it includes: soup + a piece of meat or fish; rice,
potatoes or buckwheat groats ('kasza gryczana' in Polish) and fresh
salad. There are also vegetarian sets (around PLN 12) but I ordered a
classic one: borscht (beetroot soup), chicken breast cutlet, potatoes
and freshly grated carrot.
The borscht
(or barszcz, as we call it in Polish) was very tasty, almost like
home made. The only thing that spoiled it were not-too-fresh boiled
potatoes (you probably know this sweetish taste of boiled potatoes
kept in a fridge for too long. Yuck.). The soup would have been much better if it
had been served instead with uszka (ravioli-type dumplings) or at least a
hard-boiled egg.
Fortunately,
potatoes served with the main dish - as well as the carrot salad - were
completely fresh. And the chicken cutlet coated with breadcrumbs was
absolutely delicious. The meat was juicy while the coating remained
crispy. I asked the chef for his secret but he apparently had exactly
the same recipe as me (coat the meat with flour, whisked eggs and
breadcrumbs and then fry it over medium-high heat) but our results were
completely different. Why? It will always remain a culinary mystery
to me. ;)
I think this
restaurant is a great place for a quick, home made lunch. You can
also have here breakfast, drink some delicious coffee or simply bury
yourself in a comfy armchair and have a pleasant read. Kardamon Cafe
is tasty and warming – just like the spice that gave it a name.
Address: ul.
Retoryka 19, Kraków (Stare Miasto)
Website:
www.kardamon-cafe.com.pl
