On entering Zenit the first thing that caught our attention was the interior design. It was designed by Piotr Paradowski, a young architect from Krakow. Three colours are dominating the space: grey, blue and gold complemented with brown veneer. Facing onto Miodowa street is a large, effective window. When the days are warm, the windows are open and you can sit outside. Two walls inside are crowded with a mosaic of graphics, photos, paintings and other objects – the treasures gathered by the owners and the architect. Some of them were custom-made by local artists. It all looks like a real cabinet of curiosities, it is worth to look closely at each item – some of these treasures were brought from such cities as Barcelona and Hong Kong.
The grey floor and the light pink ceiling constitute a refined decor for the main character of the place – the most prominent element in here – the bar. Dark veneer, golden brass and wooden elements painted in blue with bottles of alcoholic beverages and highlighted logo.
It is not rare that in such interiors there is no culinary happy ending and we are left with a feeling that such places are only beautiful on the outside with the food simply unable to meet the visual standards. In Zenit, on the other hand, the beautifully designed interior is just a decor for what you will find on your plate. Everything is tasty and truly interesting! And the attitude of the owners towards the selection of products and suppliers is absolutely reliable.
The menu was created by the main chef Anna Klajmon and it is mostly based on seasonal products, from trusted suppliers. Zenit is an international cuisine with flavours inspired by various trends. One can see both the variety of inspirations as well as a moderation in combining them together.
We started with two breakfast sets – Vege and Zenit accompanied by pour-over coffee – a very good blend from Koffi Brand. Vege Breakfast (21 PLN), that my companion had a pleasure to have, consisted of hummus with beetroot, guacamole, young asparagus, excellent paste made of buckwheat groats, freshly baked brioche and a mini pot of young veggies. We also received a set of marmalade, strawberries and fresh red pepper, which, in this combination, tasted more like an exotic fruit rather than a vegetable typically eaten in a “salty environment”.
Zenit – the breakfast I had (25 PLN), was something completely different: a sausage with ash (made on the spot), farmer’s cheese from Holland, grilled portobello mushrooms and tomatoes, shakshuka, slices of crispy bacon and, of course, the brioche with marmalade and sauce with Dijon mustard.
Both portions were huge, and we also had a mug of coffee to drink (2 PLN with ever breakfast set). The breakfast menu also contains excellent, salty waffles, sandwiches, toasts and millet pudding. From 01.00 PM (02.00 PM on Saturdays) the restaurant serves lunch and main courses.
Following the owner’s recommendation, we decided to have a delicate cod loin (36 PLN) with green veggies, young potatoes, watercress and dill espuma – that is a sauce made with a siphon.
We also tried the excellent beef (32 PLN) – cooked for 8 hours – served on cauliflower puree with demi glace and seasonal vegetables (asparagus, mange-tout, broccoli, young potatoes) and pea shots. Apart from the main courses, the menu also offers starters, soups, salads and pastas. During the weekends we can also see some special dishes, not available during the week, such as great ceviche made of cod sprinkled with lime and orange juice and served with focaccia.
We visited this place three times, and each time we were very positively surprised by the quality of the service – this is certainly a positive aspect of Zenit. Another plus is the bread baked on spot and products smoked on spot by the main chef.
This place combines and reflects the passions of the two owners: Sebastian Wojnar – previously manager of Mąka i Woda – is a fan of opera and classical music, while his business partner Bartosz Rusin comes from the world of skateboarding and snowboarding. And it is this blend of the street and the splendour that is well visible in each detail of this place – full of passion for food and life.
Text and photos: Przemysław Nieciecki | PION
Opera and skateboard
