My pal, Freddy, who works in the neighbourhood, took me to this little Polish cafe and deli in Woollahra on Queen Street. ‘Maybe you get a free coffee if you can pronounce the name right,’ he commented, though we wouldn’t have won, even if this had been on offer.
It’s not really a place for a casual lunch. The menu items are a bit hearty, and all large, though they nicely accomodated F. when he said he just wanted a bagel from the front counter. Toasted, and for $10, he thought it was delicious, and worth returning for.
I couldn’t go past the perogis, which I fondly remember from my Canadian youth where various Ukranian entrepeneurs sold frozen versions, or a perogi maker (which I loved, where is that thing?), and a handful of Eastern European restaurants in Vancouver served them (along with cabbage rolls and borscht and other delights).
The Woollahra version was absolutely delicious, and the size of them and portion were manageable (because you know, these things are heavy). For $20, it’s a bit pricy for lunch and one would have to plan in advance to tackle the shared tasting plate (which looks very tempting, but who can eat so much during a weekday lunch?). Pleasant indeed though, and different. The outdoor atrium dining area is also rather nice.