11. July 2015: Restaurant Atelier Amaro
What you experience at the allegedly best restaurant in Poland is definitely amazing! The Restaurant Atelier Amaro is said to be the best restaurant in Poland and I must admit that I couldn’t find a reason not to believe that. When you see the restaurant you are kind of confused as the place does not really look like a beautiful place from outside but more like a small wooden house. And while that might be charming in the woods it was kind of confusing in the city. However, once you’ve entered you are catapulted into a different world. A world which starts with “black and white bread”.
Served with “apricot and chanterelle purree”. Definitely a unique combination of flavours I have never had the chance to try before. The mushroom-y taste in combination of the sweetness of the apricots was great. And it went quite well with the “Jules Taylor, Pinot Grigio” (44 PLN).
The “8 course tasting menu” called “Calendar of Nature, 28th Week” (320 PLN) with the accompanying wines (199 PLN on the menu, 209 PLN effectively) started with a small amuse bouche “a chip from potato distillate with lovage drops” which was a hint of nothing in your mouth tickeling your taste buds.
The second amuse bouches were “slices of smoked pork lard served on a crispy chip with cucumber (given on the brick of tree)”. While at first I was a bit surprised to get smoked pork lard but it was actually absolutely delicious. Smooth and rich in flavour. The cucumbers looked interesting but simple but they were very intense in flavour as well.
The next course was a “potato boiled in bees wax with juniper/rhubarb puree” which was a down to earth course of which I liked the plate most.
As a last amuse bouche before the actual menu, they served “rabbit kidney with broadbeans”.
The first course was “Sterlet. Mint. Green Strawberry.” and while I was sceptical to eat green strawberries, I was also absolutely blown away by the combination of tastes. The mint in combination with the acidity of the green strawberries and the balancing element of the sterlet did the trick and really put my taste buds in a state of joy. The “Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett, Mosel Riesling, Max F. Richter, Germany, 2012” which has an “extremely fruity style with dominant mango, pear, ripe goosberry aroma underlined with residual sugar which is matched to support balance perception in combination with acidic dish” was a great match to the dish. In addition to that, you could sense that the sommelier loves his job – as he explained passionately and in length the details of each wine! There is nothing cooler than people doing what they love as their job.
The second course was not so easy to understand at first. You are brought a large jar to your table with trapped smoke and asparagus. The “Asparagus. Nasturtium. Beech” course was accomanpied by “Pouilly Fume, Les Cris, A. Cailbourdin, Loire, 2013” described as “crispy fresh and aromatic stone-dry profile which breaks velvety texture of larch smoke in asparagus which was smoked”.
Now you are obviously not supposed to open the jar as you get a plate where you can find a part of the final dish already on it …
… which is then completed with the asparagus from the jar. The dish is very smooth, the mild coat of smoke around the asparagus definitely has a surprising element.
The “Whey. Sorrel. Wild Strawberry” served with “Pinot Gris , Duttenberg, Alsace, 2011” described as “characteristics of varietys – oily, creamy texture, caramelized fruits and bees wax – is used to equalize sour flavours in a soup” is a perfect addition to the dish. Not in the way it is first brought to your table but much more after it …
… has been finalized. The soup has a slight sour note which is really well balanced off by the wine as it really has a very creamy consistency.
One thing I have to mention in particular are the plates – it seems like they have all been designed individually for each course by the restaurant. The “Lamb. Pumpernickel Bread. Cumin” served with “Malvasia Nera, Lluccarelli, Salento, Puglia, 2013” described as “thick, dominantly excessive aromas of smoked plum, anise, kumin, chocolat are combined with curry Black Chips made with multiplay presence” was absolutely interesting. I was a bit sceptical with regards to lamb tatar but I must admit that it was great in taste – especially with the light layer of pumpernickel bread.
The next course was “Chanterelle. Chryzanthemum. Horseradish” accompanied by “Savagnin Rose, Pyramid Valley Vineyards, 2012” described as “rare and exceptional, floral, vegetal, caramel notes – type of baroque wines that we want to sell. Together with some sweet flavor pairing is done with chanyarellaa”. Doesn’t the dish look absolutely lovely? And it did not only look very lovely but it was also very lovely in taste.
Next in line was the “Turbot. Tomato. Ruccola” …
… finalized with stock …
… resulting in a simple looking fish dish. It was accompanied by “Mandolas , dry furmint, Oremus family, 2011” described as “these herbal, mineral aromas are put tohether with classic stock from green tomato and lamb infused with rocket oil”. The variety of different herbs used in combination with the rather simple turbot was really quite interesting.
I can’t remember when I had pigeon for the last time or even if I ever have had pigeon. However, the “Pigeon. Blackberry. Millet” was an outstanding dish. The pigeon is a bit dry but the meat has quite an interesting taste. In combination with the blackberries the taste was great. The “Auditori, Priorat, grenache, 2010” described as “intensively fruity and juicy grenache with typical bitter tannin from priorat soil giving freshness and tannic flavor to demi glace sauce” fit perfectly and was luckily some red wine as it took a bit too long for my personal gusto to arrive at red wine.
Before the actual last course, there was something like a pre-dessert. Something I have never experienced before happened – they sprayed rose water very generously onto the table clothes – making it quite wet, especially for the fact that you did not smell it too much. The actual pre-dessert wasn’t the rose water though but much more the “rose chocolates” which had been served with it.
The last course was again quite a surprise as it contained some ingredient which I would definitely not put in the dessert section. However, it was surprisingly amazing. The “Eggplant. Chicory. Halva” served with “Premiere Grives, côtes de Gascogne, France” described as “slightly sweet wine from gros manseng variety underlining fresh berries and chicory powder” was amazing. I have never had eggplant for dessert and was super sceptical but it actually even kind of blew my mind because the smoothness of the eggplant mousse wrapped in a coat of chocolate gave it the dessert note it needed.
When I asked for a tea to finish off the dinner, I did not expect what happened next. The waiter showed up with a large selection of fresh tea! No tea bags, fresh teas! I mean, that I have really never seen that they offer you the selection at the table.
And the “pine tea” (20 PLN) was not only beautifully displayed but also very aromatic in taste. Definitely worth trying!
Last but not least, some chocolates were served to round off the evening.
The place is completely lovely – simple design but you still feel very comfortable and depending on the table you get, you even get something like privacy.
And they care about details. Everything is branded and just looks perfectly aligned to each other.
The service does a marvellous job. They are very attentive, always there when you need them without being intrusive. However, for my personal gusto, the frequency of plates and respective wines brought to the table is way too high. Sometimes you are almost not done or really not done with your wine glass from the previous course and you already got your next course and wine glass. I am not saying we should be waiting for hours but leaving a bit more time between the single courses wouldn’t harm. Other than that, perfect experience. Definitely on the expensive side, especially for Poland, but well worth paying, inlcuding the added 10% service charge (123.10 PLN).
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Atelier Amaro
Agrykola 1
00-460 Warsaw (PL)
Tel.: +48 22 628 57 47
E-Mail: reservations@atelieramaro.pl
Homepage: http://www.atelieramaro.pl
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
