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https://www.facebook.com/JamaMichalikaJama Michalika is a place steeped in history. Polish history, alas. Something of which I know very little about. It's also one of the most elegant restaurants in Kraków. So, I needed a special occasion and a special someone to go with. The special occasion was a celebration of being in Kraków for a whole year. The special person, an aspiring young writer, who could fill me in on how important this fine establishment was to the Young Poland movement. A date was set and eagerly awaited. I would bring a camera and a sketchbook. My dinner companion would bring some poetry, so that we could soak up the atmosphere.
I arrived first. Apart from the cloakroom attendant, I was greeted by some drunken guy who tried to beg some money off me. He was promptly escorted off the premises. While I was waiting I had time to peruse the menu for amusing translation mistakes. With gentle piano music in the background and the relaxing interior of restaurant my raging headache from earlier in the day soon became a distant memory. My dinner companion (who we shall refer to as DC from hereon in) arrived fifteen minutes late (as she said she would). At least she was punctually late.
Dinner was a very pleasant experience. Poetry was read. Photographs were taken. The sketchbook was unused (probably best that way). I didn't spend a fortune either. I opted for one of the specials, namely ribs in honey. Very tasty they were too, accompanied with talarki (which are basically flat, round chips), some salad and grated beetroot. The beetroot was quite heavily seasoned. Eaten in isolation it was a little odd, but when combined with the ribs (of which there were only four rather small ones) the taste was revelationary. DC had already eaten, so she was content was szarlotka (apple pie), served with ice cream. We both had a cocktail with dinner, which seemed befitting to a place of such elegance. "Forbidden Fruits" for me and Jama Michalika Number 1 for DC as a tribute to the restaurant's founder.
Even going to the toilet was a pleasurable experience. I wandered off to find the toilet and the cloakroom assistant (a kindly soul) showed me to the toilet and gave me a very quick tour and demonstration of the facilities therein. Out in the dining area, however, service is always excellent and never intrusive. This restaurant has atmosphere. The walls are covered in caricatures, designs for stage costumes and all sorts of interesting memorabilia. Stained glass design features and ornate brass work adorns the place. One can only imagine how lively this place was in its heyday. Now, it is a rather quiet place.
We could have stayed much longer. But there were places to go, other items on the "Top 50 Things to do in Kraków" list to be crossed off. Budgetary considerations too. Cocktails at between 16 and 25 zloty apiece are a good way to spend money quickly. Our friendly cloakroom assistant didn't want us to go either. She insisted on fetching a receipt for the one zloty cloakroom fee I'd paid. We obediently waited for the receipt and stepped out onto Florianska and hence back to normality and the 21st century.
