HAMSA HUMMUS & HAPPINESS – WARM AND SPICY

HAMSA hummus & happiness israeli restobar caught my attention during a few food festivals this summer because their stall was always besieged with customers. Intrigued by this popularity, I decided to go to Kraków's Jewish district, Kazimierz, and find out myself about the phenomenon of this modern Israeli restaurant.

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon in November but to our surprise the restaurant was filled with both locals and foreign tourists. The bright interior is dominated by white and blue colours with green plants in the window niches and photos of modern Tel Aviv hanging on the walls. The air was filled with energetic Israeli music, which sounded like a mix of folk and rock, and with slightly musty smells of food and spices.

If you've never eaten Levantine food before, the menu can seem enigmatic but the friendly staff patiently clarifies all the exotic words. For starters, we ordered a set of 3 mezze (i.e. appetizers and dips) served in a so-called “hand” (PLN 34.80). Each “hand” is served with three types of bread: manakish, lafah, and pita. I especially liked manakish, which was covered in spices, but the other two breads were also quite good. It was nice that we could choose the 3 mezze on our own but there were so many tempting possibilities that we couldn't make our minds.  

Finally, we've decided to try the restaurant's flagship dish – hummus, plus baba ghanoush and marinated labneh cheese with za'atar (a mix of thyme, oregano and other spices). Hummus is a dip made from chickpeas and tahini (paste made from ground sesame seeds) blended with some garlic and lemon juice. It can be served with many different garnishes - we opted for pomegranate and pine nuts, which accentuated the taste of the hummus without overpowering it. The tahini paste – mixed with baked aubergine (eggplant) – is also the base for baba ghanoush, which was much more delicate than hummus. Both dips were so good that I've decided to include them in my everyday menu, especially as they aren't difficult to prepare. The labneh cheese, made from natural yoghurt, turned out to be a bit too sour for my liking but my Husband claims it was the best of the 3 mezze.

For the main dish we had Moroccan lamb with couscous (PLN 39.60), which wasn't very photogenic but was very tasty. The meat was tender and delicate, while the oriental sauce was very pungent, maybe even a tad too pungent... Even though the couscous with raisins, apricots and fresh cucumber toned down the spicy taste, I managed to eat only a few bites, but my Husband, who likes hot dishes, ate the rest with a great pleasure.

Because the lamb was very meaty, we decided to balance it out with something more veggie – a tagine, or a dish cooked and served in a beautifully decorated pot with a cone-shaped cover. Our vegetarian version of tagine (PLN 28) was filled with delicious cauliflower, tomato sauce, olives, and lemon. It was also served with couscous and stuffed vegetables, which unfortunately turned out to be the weakest link. The courgette (zucchini) was bitter and the filling was just unpalatable. After that we didn't dare to try the stuffed onions.

Of course, we couldn't deny ourselves a dessert. Even though baklava (PLN 5.50), i.e. filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey, is considered by many people to be too sweet, for me it was just perfect. On the other hand, basbousa cake with almonds and orange flower water (PLN 4.90), praised by many, seemed to me a bit too bland (but, unsurprisingly, my Husband loved it ;)). We washed down the dessert with delicious Arabic coffee brewed in a special pot called cezve (PLN 8.90).

Even though my Husband and I often disagreed about particular dishes, we were unanimous in one thing - food in HAMSA hummus & happiness is very diverse, totally different from what we're used to, and absolutely delicious. We left the restaurant full, warmed up and very satisfied. I think it's a perfect place for a meeting with friends or a spicy dinner on a wintry evening. There are many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes but meat eaters will also find something to munch away at. As its name suggests, HAMSA serves not only hummus, but also happiness, which takes the form of delicious dishes from the Middle East.

PS. I could write this in-depth review thanks to a culinary action Blogerzy Smakują (Bloggers' Tasting) organized by urodaizdrowie.pl and thanks to the owners of HAMSA hummus & happiness, who allowed us to try their cuisine for free. Because I had already been in Hamsa incognito, I know that their dishes are equally tasty and the staff equally friendly, even if you aren't a culinary blogger on assignment. ;)

More photos can be found here.

Address: ul. Szeroka 2, Kraków (Kazimierz)

Websites: hamsa.pl and facebook

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KARDAMON CAFFE – COSY AND HOMEY

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

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MOO MOO STEAK AND BURGER – MY FIRST BURGER WORKSHOP

I have to confess something – I don't like red meat. If I want to write a review of a restaurant, I delegate tasks to my Husband: I order poultry, fish or a vegetarian dish, while he takes beef, pork or game. That's why I was slightly apprehensive about a burger workshop which was organised by Moo Moo Steak & Burger Club on Tuesday. Fortunately, my fears turned out to be completely unfounded.

The workshop started with a short lecture about the dish's history, followed by the chef's explanation on how to make a perfect burger. Even though the chef vividly gesticulated, creating an invisible patty literally out of thin air, I think that a live culinary show would be much more interesting to watch.

The second part of the meeting, however, was definitely more delicious. We were given the speciality of the house – Moo Moo burger, which apart form the obligatory bun and meat contained some lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, camembert and pear. The combination of sweet onions, creamy camembert and my favourite pear proved to be absolutely amazing. Thanks to these garnishes and perfectly prepared patty, I forgot that actually I don't like beef. ;)

After food there came time for a drink - a presentation about wines from Uruguay. Mr. Michał Stępień, a sommelier from Dom Wina, whom we've already met during Najedzeni Fest!, was as always very friendly and professional. He spoke with passion about Uruguay – a surprisingly clean country in South America, where the culture of wine making and wine drinking is flourishing. The presentation was combined with wine tasting and with each glass the atmosphere was becoming more and more cheerful.

Afterwards there was the hands-on part of the workshop and we could make (or rather assemble) our own burgers. This time we were making a rice burger: a mix of the traditional beef patty with sushi rice and other Japanese ingredients. The result was rather unusual but I think I'll stick to the original recipe with buns. :)

We experimented not only with rice but also with pasta. I decided to eat the yummy, buttery pasta without meat and with some nashi pear (aka Asian pear or Chinese pear) instead. I think pears, unlike beef, go well with almost everything. :)

All in all, I really enjoyed the workshop, even though it was less practical than I'd expected. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed (especially after the wine tasting), I met some really nice people (greetings to Ania and Kamil from Jedzenie jest piękne and to KrakowskiMakaroniarz), and I learned a lot about burgers and wines. Thanks to invaluable Gosia from Kraków gotuje, who got for us free 'blogger' admissions, I didn't have to pay for anything but I think that even PLN 50 for 3 hours of delicious food and wine is worth its price.

I'm really glad I took part in the workshop because finally I know that beef can be really tasty. But only if it's well prepared and served with appropriate garnish. :)

Address: ul. Świętego Krzyża 15, Kraków (Old Town)
Website: www.facebook.com/MooMooSteakBurgerClub

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VILLA DECIUS RESTAURANT - ELEGANCE IN RENAISSANCE STYLE

If you're looking for a venue for a special occasion, I can recommend you Villa Decius Restaurant (Restauracja w Willi Decjusza in Polish). In this elegant Renaissance interior decorated with copies of Old Masters, you will truly feel like a royal. But you also need a purse full of gold because even with a discount card Karta na Plus, you can squander there a small fortune. :)

 

Located in one of the most luxurious districts of Kraków called Wola Justowska, Villa Decius was built by a finance minister and secretary to the Polish king Sigismund I the Old, Iodocus Ludovicus Decius (Justus Ludwik Decjusz in Polish). It was designed by Italian renaissance architects who also collaborated on rebuilding Wawel. The villa is surrounded by an English landscape garden, which is a lovely place for lazy strolls after the dinner.

 

Thanks to a party organised a few years ago by my ex-employer, I could have a good look around upper stories, which have beautifully painted wood ceilings, but the restaurant itself is situated in the cellars turned into a set of opulent rooms (though the lack of windows can be a little claustrophobic).

Food is exquisite even though the portions are on the small side. I really liked my chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes accompanied by white rosemary-lemon sauce and black pasta (PLN 39). Did you know that black pasta is made of squid ink and is very tasty? (If you want to make your own black pasta, here's a recipe). It's a pity, though, that the portions of pasta and other additions to the dishes were much too small.

 

Another tasty dish was wild boar loin in chocolate-balsamic sauce served with filo pastry and stuffed vine leaves (PLN 59). For me the dish was slightly too heavy (it's probably because I don't like game dishes in general) but my Husband loved it, especially the tender and aromatic meat. Our friends ordered duck with baked apple stuffed with cranberries and red cabbage (PLN 57) and halibut on grilled courgette (zucchini) with fried julienne (i. e. cut into long strips) potatoes (PLN 43).

 

We also helped ourselves to a dessert: a very tasty and delicate pear in phyllo pastry with almond mousse (PLN 19). But a tart with gorgonzola ice cream stirred a real sensation (PLN 18). The ice cream really tasted like gorgonzola cheese and was probably one of the strangest things I've ever eaten.

Waiters in Villa Decius are very dignified, which may make them look a bit aloof. I don't really mind it but I sometimes wished I was wearing a crinoline dress or diamond necklace. ;) I can recommend Villa Decius Restaurant for special occasions, such as romantic dates (or even a marriage proposal), birthdays or celebration of other important life events. And although the food and beverages are quite expensive, I think that the renaissance architecture, unusual menu and elegant atmosphere are worth their price. :)

Address: ul. 28 lipca 1943 roku 17a, Kraków (Wola Justowska)
Website: www.vd-restauracja.pl

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