This is a traditional classic Polish diner.
Mini elegant…read morerestaurant with great homemade dishes. Every day they have something that reminds you of home cooked polish food (see the daily specials on the chalk board by the counter). You can have different option if you like, but I highly recommend you the soup of the day.
The decoration reminds me of an English grandma tea party, it's very cute and cozy, the roses are literally everywhere. There are absolutely beautiful fresh roses on the tables and it looks and smells very lovely. I have heard that the owner has her own rose garden.
The service is quite good. If you have no time and no food allergies, go right away for the specials menu. If you have a bit of time and it is not a rush hour, relax and order what you desire.
If you have any food allergies such as gluten intolerance or dairy, there won't be too many options to chose from.
Unfortunately one day I asked if we could have the potato latkes (placki ziemniaczane) with a spoon of any other flour -potato, rice or gluten free flour. They refused to make it GF and said they didn't have any other flour option which was shocking to me. I mean, every kitchen has a potato flour, don't they?
On the plus side this restaurant happened to be honest about giving the valid info regarding the dairy or the gluten, altho, they could stretch one bit to satisfy the Gluten Free customer by buying one general purpose gluten free flour ( maka ryzowa czy gryczana czy ziemniaczana badz kukurydziana ) and by replacing one spoon of flour with any of above gluten free flours. This was disappointing because the restaurant was empty, and we have 2016.
I have a friend who has a restaurant and uses only potato flour for sauces and as an additive he always uses gf flour, you can't taste the difference but it is healthier and he can honestly sell his food as made gluten free, which is an advantage. Nowadays a lot of people suffer from allergies and intolerances and it is good to have something, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, vegeterian and Vegan in each menu. It is not complicated at all.
Overall, this restaurant has been a great to good experience. I recommend it. It is one of the best most honest places to eat in Ełk. Staff is also very nice and they speak decent English! I'm giving them 4 * beacuse they lack on GF option for me and my family.
One note: suggestion: why not add a chopped tomato side salad with cilantro (drobno siekany liść kolendry) with dry chili and/or salt ( mixed with very finely chopped onion). And add it to the salmon stuffed avocado, on the plate not inside.
It really misses something rich to blend well with. It's a dull, tastless dish otherwise. You could give it a true mexican kick. :)
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Generel and NOT related to this restaurant INFO:
AN IMORTANT TIP FOR
******************* Celiacs ******************* be aware that in most of Polish restaurants there are even some traces of gluten in soups, or salads, so make sure you ask the cook if they use broth cubes and fresh spices. A lot of pre made spices in Poland ( in fact most of them) contain gluten , salad mixes, broth cubes, contaminated corn flour, rice or potato flour... The restaurants don't buy GF attested products specifically. Just be careful.
*GF General TIP for Celiacs how to deal with dishonest information about gluten contamination:
if the cook told there was no flour in their broth cubes or spices , and no gluten in food at all,
but you had a horrible indigestion and fever, after you ate simply do not come back. And make sure you review them and report them to poison control called Sanepid. A lot of cooks and servants in Poland still have no idea what gluten is. I am Polish myself and I have trained servants and cooks before and a lot of them who have no allergies themselves, happened to mislead the customer disregarding their allergies or intolerances, hoping they would order something contaminated anyway thinking it is safe to eat.
