What I love best when traveling is to snack my way through everything a country has to offer. Such a treat then to be on a road trip and travel through Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia. While in Czechia we only stopped for coffee and cake, we got the full menu in Poland. Our first real meal on the road was dinner in Auschwitz. It was already quite late when we arrived, so we had dinner at the Hampton by Hilton hotel. I was not expecting much, because come on … hotel food, but it was delicious.
I ordered the pork filet with barley risotto and roasted cauliflower while my friend got the beef roulade with red cabbage and potato dumplings. My dish was great, the meat tender and the risotto hearty. My friend raved about the small dumplings which had the perfect rubbery consistence, but disliked the beef. Overall it was great first meal on the road.
dinner in the hotel restaurant @Auschwitz
The next evening in Krakow we followed the hotel’s recommendation and had dinner at the restaurant Miód Malina. This place serves Polish and Italian food, but what I got was a Schnitzel with sauerkraut. Both dishes are very much Austrian, but not in combination. It was good but rather filling and I vowed afterwards to steer clear of anything we might have at home as well.
Schnitzel with sauerkraut @Miod Malina
My friend got the potato mushroom soup served in a bread bowl. I love that concept but it is also very filling as my friend noted. Especially since she got a portion of fried potato pancakes after.
potato mushroom soup @Miod Malina restaurant
The next morning we stopped at Gossip Vege Bistro for breakfast before starting with our walking tour of Krakow. This little bistro right around the corner of the hotel has a couple of warm dishes as well as pastries. I went with the Shakshuka and was more than happy.
Shakshuka @Gossip Vege Bistro
Dinner that evening was a Zapiekanka (aka Polish pizza) which we ate after the Jewish walking tour. It’s more like a hot open-faced sandwich. It tasted great but next time I wouldn’t the extra sauce sauce on top.
Zapiekanka @Krakow
Since dinner was such a small affair, we sat down for drinks in the evening on the Main Square and enjoyed some people watching.
cocktails after dinner @Krakow
The next morning we explored the Wawel Royal Castle and only after did we sit down for an early lunch. We had to eat pirogi at least once while in Poland, so we went to Café Camelot and ordered them there. Not sure if that was the right place, but they were tasty. The greaves on the side you can leave exactly there. The coffee house looks really inviting and has a beautiful courtyard.
pirogi @Café Camelot
On our last evening in Poland we had an original dinner in the small village of Czorstyn. Since everything sounded enticing at Karczma Zamkowa Dobre Jadło we ordered a bit too much. On the other hand we planned on going rafting the next day. Who knew that this would be a leisurely floating excursion. So we got a each a starter, herring and grilled mountain cheese, and as main course pirogi again as well as a fried trout with a big side salad and mashed potatoes. Everything came almost at once and there was no light outside. The food was really good, especially the herring and the pirogi, but again this was not a light meal.
a lot of Polish food @Karczma Zamkowa Dobre Jadło
In Slovakia we kept on eating heavy food, but honestly the little dumplings at Haluškáreň in Košice were just too good to forgo. Especially the greaves on top were fabulous. They were crunchy and soft at the same time, so I ate them all. Anyway, we shared three different kinds, the regular ones with cheese, spinach, and mushrooms. Please take a look as well as the restaurant, it has a very traditional touch.
three different kinds of dumplings @Haluškáreň
dining room @Haluškáreň
We had our last dinner on the road in the village of Tatranská Lomnica in the High Tatras. In the mountains you need extra layers of protection, so no light food here as well. We got some potato pancakes with sour cream for starters to share as well as each one a main dish. The dumplings with sauerkraut got a good review, but the black pudding with the small dumplings mixed with cabbage was rather needed some getting used to. I love black pudding but not in liquid form and also not with such an intense greasy taste. The beer was good though, so no complaints from my side.
potato pancakes with sour cream @Reštaurácia Stará mama
black pudding and dumplings with sauerkraut @Reštaurácia Stará mama
The food was good on our trip, sometimes really amazing and sometimes a miss. Overall of course, the cuisine of Czechia, Poland and Slovakia is not well known for its use of vegetables. Besides cabbage in all kinds of forms, nothing comes to mind. Still, I quite enjoyed eating all these dishes. This is how you get to know a country, but eating your way through their menus. Yours, Pollybert
