Inn of the Seventh Happiness (Chopskie Jad 30)

Member Name: fizzywizzy

Product:	Chopskie Jad 30
Date:	18/04/06 (444 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious food, reasonable prices, cherry vodka

Disadvantages: Not one in Newcastle!

Usually, when it comes to matters foodie, I avoid chains like the plague. However, when I ate at Chlopskie Jadlo in Krakow, I was unwittingly eating at what is a growing chain of Polish restaurants. I won’t go too much into the history of the chain (you can read all about it on their website), suffice to say that this is an enterprise directed towards tourism but with a strong intent to provide quality food both in the restaurants and for catering at national and international events.

“Chlopskie Jadlo” translates as “peasant kitchen” and this is a theme that permeates not just through the menu but in the exterior and interior decoration too. The exterior has big heavy rustic wooden doors and when you enter the restaurant you see it is decorated in the style of an old country inn. The dining area is split into two areas. The first one you enter has about ten tables and further back is an area where the coach parties are herded. There the tables are pushed together and rather more people can be crammed in.

The rustic wooden tables are joined by wooden benches that are draped in sheepskins and vibrantly coloured cushions. It may look rustic but it is very comfortable. Old cooking ad farming implements have been used to decorate the walls and there is a traditional fireplace of the kind that would have been used for cooking.

We arrived not long after the restaurant had opened for lunch and were able to choose our own table. Some tables had reserved cards on them so it looked like the restaurant is popular with private groups as well as coach parties. Straightaway we were brought some slabs of crusty bread and two earthenware mugs; one was overflowing with tasty lard containing crispy bacon bits (which I believe are known as “greaves”) and the other contained a delicious herby cream cheese. While we looked over the menu we ordered a big mug of beer each.

I started with the picked herring, my partner with the smoked eel. The herring was wonderful – well complemented by the cherry vodka I chose to accompany it - but the smoked eel was a revelation – falling easily off the spine, delicately smoked and coming in a very generous portion.

For the main course we shared a huge plate of pierogi; I understand that pierogi translates as “little pies” (do correct me if I am misinformed Magda) but for those who have not sampled this wonderful dish, I have to say that a large tortellini-like piece of pasta stuffed with meat or cabbage and cooked in stock is the nearest description I can give. We went to the veggie ones – stuffed with tasty fried cabbage and onion and accompanied by a dollop of soured cream. We also had a selection from the “salad bar” – in actual fact a variety of pickled vegetables stored in earthenware pots (with made it hard to see what was in each one – a kind of pickle Russian roulette!). This turned out to be an excellent choice – the beetroot was to die for……

We didn’t have a dessert but we did see some large and gooey-looking cream cakes head towards other tables. Apparently these are another country speciality and those with a sweet tooth should know that, according to the menu, these are free on Sundays!

Chlopski Jadlo has a huge menu that includes meat, poultry and fish dishes; vegetarians, while not catered for with special main course will find it very easy to put together a selection of dishes to create a good meal. Some may be out off by a few of the dishes (pigs trotter is not everyone’s cup of tea) and many of the dishes are pretty rich but it is possible find some light and tasty dishes – salmon with aubergine and red peppers is one that springs to mind. There are unusual dishes “Polish style black duck with apples and cranberries” (aren’t you glad when you can smuggle out a menu to take home!) or “pikeperch” (freshwater fish being a speciality in this part of the world) but overall the menu is accessible and those with children shouldn’t struggle to find something suitable.

For a popular tourist destination food is still reasonably priced in Krakow and, given that this place is pretty well geared up for tourists Chlopskie Jadlo does not really take advantage. We spent in the region of £18.00 for lunch for two - including drinks; this seemed pretty reasonble given the ingredients and the fact that we weren't charged for the sizeable hunk of delicious bread and it's accompaniments. We would undoubtedly have paid mor for this food in London and still considered it good value.

Chlopskie Jadlo now has a handful of branches across Poland including one in Bielsko-Biala (a town Magdadh recently reviewed. Yes it's a chain but possibly the mosy enjoyable, satisfying and delicious food I've eaten from a chain!

www.chlopskiejadlo.com for locations across Poland

Summary: Eat well at the Peasant's Kitchen