Yet another food blog

A new mall called Serenada was opened around a month ago here in Krakow.

And there we have an interesting restaurant opened by Italians, owners of Osteria le Logge restaurant in Siena.

It's called simply Cucina Aperta.

I was quite suspisious - one usually wouldn't expect anything good from the mall restaurants, but I still decided to drop by. And I wasn't disappointed - already been there 4 times since the opening

The first impression wasn't very good - the waiters were kind of confused, slow and not really competent. Basically what you would expect in a Polish mall.

But then suddenly this Italian lady appeared and saved the day right away - she was so nice, smiling, smalltalking to the visitors in the mix of Italian and English, helped with the waiters' mistakes, she literally radiated hospitality and professinalism. These things I'm always missing after visiting Italy.

So they are currently training the local staff, and I dare to say that you must visit the place before they left for Sienna, when, I'm afraid, Cucina Aperta will turn into yet another krakovian "kinda-Italian kinda-restaurant".

But as of yet, this is a nice place to eat some Italian food.

Beef tartar - really one of the best in town (if not actually the best), very tasty (35zl):

Penne alla carbonara with horseradish and dried bananas (25zl). I think dried bananas do not really belong here, but it was tasty

As you can see, the portions are quite small as for Poland, so that I would expect the locals complain about it ;) As for me, after their antipasto and a (first or second - Italian style) plate I felt perfectly satiated.

The fourth time at Cucina Aperta we were also offered free samplings of the new additions to the menu - red Ventolaio from Montalcino and chardonnay from Rocca San Giovanni - both very good and more than modestly priced (60zl/bottle)

Conclusion: Very good moderately priced Italian restaurant (at least as long as the Italian chief and the hostess are there), highly recommended

 

Cucina Aperta

CH Serenada

al. Bora-Komorowskiego 41