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Well
we all know that there is a new restaurant called
the Blue Cactus. I do not want to get between two
brewers wittering about who’s POS should,
and should not, be used. However well versed on
the opening I though that I should risk further
outrage and visit the place and find out if the
furore was worth it.
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| My first impression was one of surprise.
This tacky communist building in the middle of a park
did not look quite the ideal location I expected.
It had been done up externally and painted blue but
it is still a naff looking building. |
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| I trundled into the Blue Cactus (ul
Zajqzkowska 11. Tel: 651 2323) at about nine on a
warm Saturday evening. I was hoping that there maybe
air con but instead there were a host of Singapore
fans doing their best to move the hot air about. A
vast flame sprung up from the grill. On one side of
the main dinning area and that did not help the temperature.
I wandered through the dining room and contemplated
a seat on the narrow veranda. A helpful waiter looked
at me and asked me what I wanted. A table I suggested
indicating the several spare ones. I was instructed
to wait whilst he went in search of the hostess who
I had eluded with my lone entry. |
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| Finally I accepted a table inside because
I thought it would be a better spot to observe the
running of the restaurant. I took in the decor which
features brick walls, beams on the ceiling and splashes
of colour from modernists’ paintings. Each table
is home to a single cactus and the place settings
are upgraded with a linen table napkin. The internal
walls break up the room into manageable sections. |
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The Hostess gave me a paper menu and
left. After a quick glance I tried to make contact
with a waiter. There seemed some confusion as to who
was going to serve me. Just, as I was thinking about
a review along the lines tried to get drink/food and
failed, a waiter appeared. I wanted a beer and asked
what was available as the menu listed neither wine,
nor beer. (That should impress both warring breweries).
I assumed, erroneously, that there must be another
drink list. All this was far to confusing to the waiter
so I gave up on the beer and suggested wine asking
what was available. The waiter departed and a few
minutes later returned bearing a bottle Stuter Californian
wine in each hand, one red and the other white.
'How much,' I asked. Unless I know a restaurant well
I seldom accept unpriced wine. That is an expensive
lesson learned. The waiter retreated with the two
bottles of wine. A few minutes later he returned without
the wine but with the information that the wine cost
Zl.50 per bottle. A red bottle was instantly ordered.
A few minutes later the waiter reappeared bearing
the bottle. 'This one,' he suggested. 'Quickly' I
answered. He disappeared with the bottle and reappeared
with a wine glass. I suggested that the glass with
out the bottle was of no bloody use. |
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A few minutes later he returned with
the bottle and opened it. Cutting a cricket pitch
with nail scissors sprung to mind!
After that things did seem to get better. I studied
the menu which is pretty basic on a kind of Tex/Mex
theme, but several Tex/Mex enthusiasts have suggested
that it is a steak menu. I suppose I would call it
a theme menu which is broadly based enough to cover
most tastes. |
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The appetizers section has nine starters
which include tortilla chips, Quesadillas and nachos
as well as chicken wings among plainer options. Then
there are two soups of which one is black bean, a
lonely chilli bowl is followed by four salads and
six sandwiches and a single burger. The main courses
are broken into six pizzas and six grills including
grilled vegetables.
I ordered Quesadillas which were thin and fresh, and
I had no complaints although I could have done with
a little more salsa, and onion rings which were foul,
but came with a good sauce that I used with the Quesadillas.
For a main I had a New York steak served with some
reasonable mashed potatoes and questionable ratatouille.
The separately asked for mustard would have disgraced
a burger van. |
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I summoned my bill which came reasonably
quickly and was for Zl.100 including service. Then
my waiter called a taxi so I could escape homewards.
I want to be fair to this operation which is clearly
new and bedding down. But the one thing that shone
through was that nobody seemed to be in charge. The
waiters lacked direction, however the food was quite
good, but nobody was doing the obvious of wandering
around the tables and making certain that all was
right. I think this is going to be a difficult operation
to make work, as I do not see hoards rushing to this
park in three feet of snow, so it is essential that
a proper person is appointed to look after the needs
and aspirations of the customers before too many get
fed up and go to the other options which are nearer
to the down town. |
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Note
In my introduction there is a reference to this
article as it caused much friction between the management
of Warsaw Business Journal and their friends, who
owned the Blue Cactus. I was looking on the web the
other day and found a reference to this article in
a review of a new restaurant by one of my successors
as WBJ’s restaurant reviewer. Read
it here in Polish |
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| Fine Dining in: |
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