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Below
is the article I wrote when I left the Warsaw Business
Journal and I think that says enough about my time
in Warsaw. I always enjoyed Warsaw: the Poles know
how to party and despite the grim relics of communism,
and the invaders they replaced, there was something
very real about Warsaw.
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Leaving Warsaw
Winter is hovering around the corner. I sat staring
blankly at the golden leaves and thought back to last
winter. That was enough for me to decide that winters
in central Europe are strictly for the birds. I thought
of a nice warm beach somewhere and wondered how I
could winter there. A fax arrived from Lord Toad.
Have hotel in Patong Beach, Phuket (Thailand) can
you come and help. Am I stupid! |
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It is now about a year since I started
writing for the WBJ and in that time I think I have:
wined in most of the better restaurants in town, listened
to most of the pub bores and avoided the worst rip-offs
in the City's bordellos. So a little round up before
I wing away seemed appropriate.
I am always being asked what the best restaurant is.
However it is not a simple answer. The answer is another
question. What are you looking for: how much do you
want to spend, are you going with a group for a fun
time, or a single person to snuggle up to and what
kind of food do you like. Assuming money is no object
then I would probably recommend the Malibu (ul. Chmienlna
132/134. Tel: 656.2943) for those who want a modern
ex-pat managed restaurant. The Swietoszek (Jezuicka
6. Tel: 31) in the Old Town is a Polish restaurant
with reasonable food, good service and good atmosphere.
Upon reflection the very first restaurant I reviewed
the Casa Valdemar ( ul Piekna 7/9. Tel: 628 8140)
had a plenty to offer with it's Spanish fare. Of the
hotel restaurants I was impressed with the Le Balzac,
the top restaurant of the Mercure Hotel (Al. Jana
Pawla II 23. Tel: 620.0201. |
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| Even when cost is no object I enjoyed
the more economical offerings of the friendly Der
Elefant Pub (Plac Bankowy 1. Tel: 620 4611), the Greek
Santorini (Ul Egipska 7. Tel: 672 0525), the unordinary
Ulubiona (17 Armii Ludowej, Tel: 25 51 87) and for
Indain I preferred the Taj Mahal (Brzozowa 27/29 Tel:
31 89 26). These four restaurants represent good value
when compared to there higher charging competitors. |
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| As restaurant reviewer I often wonder
what effect my reviews have. On that note my review
of Blue Cactus (ul Zajqzkowska 11. Tel: 651 2323)
caused a temporary cessation of conversation between
the owner/managers of this paper and the owner/managers
of the Ground Zero and the Blue Cactus. However my
spies tell me that my criticism of the service has
more than hit a raw nerve, it has resulted in some
of the best service in town! |
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| When I am not whining I am trundling
around other entertainment establishments and for
my mind the only genuine Irish pub in central Europe
is in Warsaw. The Irish Rover is run by the chain
smoking, serious drinking and for ever playing Ollie
and his hard working son Tom. There is not a designer
nook or cranny in sight and the word decor is an unsuitable
word to use when describing the interior, which I
suspect just happened. This pub is due to move to
the centre of town soon. I hope it retains its unpretentious
character and can still keep Ollie in the style he
is accustomed. There are of course bars, and now pubs
galore, and the others I have enjoyed include the
friendly Locomotive and the late night pick up spot
the Zambizie. |
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| Late at night there are the discos,
which I seem to have grown out of, (I started in this
business as a disco operator) and the bordellos posing
as topless bars. I am often asked about the mud wrestling
at the Arena. It seems to strike a cord with many;
however my stock answer is 'not enough mud and not
enough wrestling.' For me the Arena is a safe, if
slightly boring spot where out town visitors can be
entertained. The Adria (8 Moniuszka. Tel: 27 42 46)
has a lot more style, but is still basically boring.
The place I enjoy most is the night club attached
to the Polonia hotel (45 Al Jerozolimakie) where the
clientele are often alcoholly challenged and are not
the kind of people Mummy would have approved of, but
at least there is real life and seedy action. |
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| I feel more than a little sad to be
leaving central Europe but, as a restaurateur, I have
always believed that one should move on and now seems
to be the moment. I have enjoyed Warsaw and Poland.
My first visit, with Lord Toad, was February 1990
and Warsaw was the more memorable of the cities that
we played in on that trip. We certainly had a better
time than in Budapest, or Prague. The single most
memorable night was in Pilsner (Czechoslovakia as
was), but that is a story that can hardly be written. |
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| Six years ago the newly opened up central
Europe seemed the place to head, now I head for the
so called tiger economies of the Pacific Rim. I hope
I have as much fun. |
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| Fine Dining in:
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Email Sam |
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