Restauracja Kapłony i Szczeżuje à la carte - Kuchnia polska — Restaurant in Krakow

Kapłony i Szczeżuje — “POLISH CUISINE OF MANY NATIONS”

This was the hardest review I’ve ever written. Normally I jot down thoughts while still at the table, fork in hand. This time it took weeks. Not because it was bad, far from it, but because this place defies easy categorization. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a culinary mood board curated by someone who dreams in duck tongues and fermented garlic fruits.

The space is beautiful, warm, and lit just right. Music selection and volume are perfect. The black paintings on the walls add moody sophistication. Service is nearly perfect—attentive and kind—but I wish staff took more initiative in describing dishes and offering proper cutlery. A dull knife turned one sausage into a crime scene.

The food? A rollercoaster. With careful ordering and questions, you’re in for a memorable meal. Order blindly and it’s culinary roulette.

Duck Tongues Cooked in Red Wine Served with onion, honey, gingerbread spices, fermented wild garlic fruits, and toasted challah bread. This was a delightful dish, full of perfectly balanced and complementing flavors. The duck tongues were tender, the spices warm and aromatic, and the fermented garlic added a punch of intrigue. The challah bread, however, could be thinner, it felt like the bread was trying to upstage the duck.

Veal brain on toast was rich and creamy, again with too-thick challah.

Odessan forshmak (herring, apple, egg, walnut) was bland and forgettable. “Krakoska” sausage salad was well dressed but underwhelming.

Cholent à la Rebe Mike, beef cheeks, beans, barley, paprika, egg in beetroot sour, was perfection. Deeply satisfying, possibly the best dish of the night. Every bite felt like a warm hug from a very wise rabbi.

Lanckorona Mangalica Sausage Mangalica, a Hungarian breed of pig known for its woolly coat and marbled meat, served with porcini mushrooms, sauerkraut sautéed in browned butter with caraway seeds, cider, honey and mustard jelly, and new potatoes with spring onion. The biggest letdown of the evening. The sausage looked stunning, perfectly sized links in a glistening casing, but the content was pure, under-seasoned fat. Porcini mushrooms were either absent or present in homeopathic quantities. The sauerkraut was delicious, but the cider, honey and mustard jelly was bland. And the knife? Dull. Instead of slicing the sausage, it squished it, sending meat splashing across the plate like a failed science experiment.

Tafelspitz Braised beef shank with root vegetables and potatoes, served with fresh fermented cucumbers and dill or horseradish sauce, and a cup of broth. Except, it wasn’t braised. It was boiled or poached, and my wife hates both. She loves braised meat, so this was a betrayal. The dish was partially redeemed by the extraordinarily delicious horseradish sauce. The vegetables were bland, likely because they sacrificed all their flavor to the broth. The broth itself was rich and delicious, but paradoxically boring in a large bowl. As a shot or small cup, it would have created mystery and a lingering sensation of “give me more.” As a full bowl, it overstayed its welcome.

Veal brisket à la Maria Burghardt, stuffed with liver and raisins macerated in Marsala, was proper and balanced but not memorable. Pascha, sweet cheese with dried fruits and nuts was surprisingly delicious. Spoon and plate were licked clean. Challah kugel with apples and saffron sauce was dry and flavorless. Pretty, but lifeless.

They had just run out of compote, which looked amazing on the next table. I stared at it like a Dickensian orphan. The liquor cart, however, was stunning, tempting even for non-drinkers. It looked like something out of a Wes Anderson film, and I briefly considered converting to mixology.

Final verdict: Five stars for decor and ambiance Four stars for service Three and a half stars for food

I’ll be back next year, armed with questions and maybe my own knife. Kapłony i Szczeżuje has soul, and when it hits, it hits hard. Just don’t order blind, unless you enjoy culinary...

We opted to explore this restaurant's intriguing Polish-Jewish fusion menu. For starters, we shared the chopped liver with caramelized onions. It was a smooth and rich spread, balanced beautifully by the sweetness of the onions. My companion then chose the chłodnik, a chilled beetroot soup. The vibrant red color was a feast for the eyes, and the soup itself offered a refreshing and slightly sweet taste.

For the main course, I opted for the gulasz, a Hungarian stew with origins in Poland. The slow-cooked beef was meltingly tender, bathed in a rich and flavorful sauce. My companion selected the matzo ball soup with roasted chicken. The fluffy matzo balls added a delightful texture, while the chicken provided a hearty element to the comforting broth.

Feeling pleasantly satiated, we decided to skip dessert this time. However, the rugelach on the menu did look particularly tempting.

Overall, the restaurant offered a well-executed fusion of Polish and Jewish cuisines. The dishes were flavorful and well-presented, with generous portions. The service was efficient and unobtrusive. I would recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a unique and satisfying...

Let me start by saying that this place is truly a gem in Krakow. I usually like to change places and discover something new each and every time however after my first lunch at A’La Carte I was so wowed that I have ended up coming 3 days in a row during my last trip to Krakow. Amazing Michelin star standard food at very reasonable prices. Mr Adam Gessler made us enjoy even more by telling the stories about origin of recipes and adding some small touches to each and every dish. I have been in so many restaurants around the world be it a street food, bistro or Michelin fine dining places, but never before have I received service and food like that. Absolutely fabulous! This restaurant can truly be described as fine dining. The piano player gave the restaurant a warm feeling and it was never too loud or disturbing. We ordered soups, main course and dessert and everything was delicious. Tatar is divine, you can see the chef preparing it in front of you- seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself - as did we. Restaurant Manager -Ania I believe, incredibly nice and helpful, made us feel right at home. Thank you!

Ps. Thank you for making my mums’ name...