Description: Podwale 25 - Piwna Kompania is a restaurant very near to the Old Town of Warsaw. I came across it last summer when I was looking for new mouments to photograph. Not far away, on the other side of the road is the famous monument of the Little Insurgent and from the entrance on Podwale Street you are able to see the Barbican Walls. The feature that drew me to this old building was a lovely old truck that was parked inside the entrance yet its rounded bonnet was sticking out on to the pavement. I fell in love with the green truck, its big headlights, old fashioned windows and the beer barrels stacked on the back.

Entering into the courtyard of the restaurant was like visiting a secret garden with lots of flowers and shrubs, long tables and benches surrounded by black metal lanterns which probably let out rays of mellow light in the evenings. It was a pleasant day when I visited and although I was tempted to sit outside I thought I would get more of a feel for the place if I sat inside.

Inside the décor is very much like the beer halls in Munich I have visited, there is also a Viennese quality about the lay out of the restaurant with its white wood furniture, decorated arches and bright wall lights not forgetting the huge chandeliers hanging down. There is a festive feel about the place with loud, jolly sing - along music and waitresses walking around dressed very smartly, in their green and white outfits. I could see that the beer was being served in heavy, litre glasses and couldn't wait to order the first drink of the day. As I was on my own I thought I would stick to only one glass of beer and a bite to eat. Tyskie and Pilsner Urquell were on offer. I chose the Czech beer as Tyskie isn't one of my favourite Polish beers. The price for a litre glass was 15 zloty (approx £3.00).

The restaurant has its own smokehouse where home-made meats are prepared and I had heard good reports of these as well as the sausages served. I could see from the menu that both of these were down as snacks as well as salmon and a full cheeseboard. As much as I love cheese I decided to pass on the cheese board and ordered a pork loin dish from the main meat menu. This came with fried potatoes and a mushroom sauce which cost 36 .90 zloty. For three zlotys more I could have ordered a sirloin steak with fries but I am always a bit dubious about ordering steak in a restaurant that I don't know too well. Also on the main meat menu there was a selection of steaks cooked different ways, roasted chicken, roasted chicken, duck and pork knuckle. The sirloin and Argentinian beef steak were the most expensive at 39, 90 zloty (£8.20) and the cheapest dish was schnitzel served the Viennese way. There are separate fish and salad menus and a daily special served every day including weekends.

I was surprised at the number of people sitting inside the restaurant; it was very busy even though the traditional time for lunch (1pm) had passed. I liked the jolly atmosphere and the way the waitresses presented themselves, they were pleasant and polite. My beer was brought to the table within a few minutes of ordering, it was creamy, cold and delicious. I had to wait a little longer for my meal to be delivered but the timing was fine as far as I was concerned.

I was quite hungry when my meal arrived and didn't hesitate to get stuck in. I was pleased to try out the different types of bread in a basket that was left on the table. I liked the plainness of the table decorated only with a small chequered tablecloth and a couple of slender candlesticks. The plates were simply white and highlighted the golden colour of the fried potatoes and creamy brown of the mushroom sauce. The sauce was very tasty and I was able to taste the earthiness of the mushrooms. I liked the way the potatoes had been fried, crispy on the outside and tender inside, not too oily. As for the slices of pork loin, they were delicious, just the right thickness. The meat was very tender and came away smoothly when cut.

My experience of Podwale 25 - Piwna Kompania was a good one. I will definitely return for lunch one day this summer. If you like beer festivals and beer halls then you will definitely find a kindred spirit here. The food is reasonably priced for the location of the restaurant as is the beer. Highly Recommended.

You can find the restaurant on ulica Podwale 25, doors open at 11.00 until 1.00 - Monday to Saturday. Sunday - 12.00 - 1.00.
Tel.: +48 22 635 63 14
Website: www.podwale25.pl

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