March – a taste of spring

March always holds the promise of something. It feels warm, it feels like spring, it feels as though you could pack winter away in a box along with your thick jumpers, scarves and boots.

And then the chilly mornings arrive and remind you: ‘Not so fast’.

And that’s exactly what this March was like: a bit of sun, a bit of cold, a bit of hope for warm days and a bit of patience whilst waiting for proper spring. Despite the arrival of astronomical and calendar spring, it was still too early for meals in restaurant gardens, which were biding their time. And I, as I do every year, was looking forward to them most of all. Because when the city comes to life outdoors, everything tastes different. We laugh louder, eat more slowly, and often linger a little longer, soaking up the city’s energy.

But at Pierogarnia Stary Młyn, March is never a month of waiting – it’s a month of action.

The kitchen ahead of the launch

In March, our minds were occupied with the menu, graphic design, final tests, fine-tuning and calculations.

We’ve now put the finishing touches to the menu, held tastings, and shared feedback and flavours around a communal table with the team responsible for running the restaurants in each of the seven cities where we welcome hundreds of guests every day – we always invite everyone to join us in testing new flavours, knowing that good food always brings people together.

And from 21 April, you’ll be able to see the results of this work in our restaurants.

A little sneak peek (because it was hard to keep it a secret)

I won’t lie – I’m really looking forward to it.

– Barbecue Buns – with pulled beef shoulder, red onion jam and barbecue sauce

– Field Lepiochy – with fresh baby spinach, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and plant-based cream – something for vegans and those trying to reduce their intake of meat and animal products in their diet.

– Special Lagoon Lepiochy – with roasted salmon, ricotta and spinach, served with a sauce made from langoustines, mussel meat, pickled celery, St Lawrence oil, cherry tomatoes and dill. This is a dish that, just a few years ago, would have been hard to imagine at Pierogarnia.

– Crispy ‘Ale Sajgon!’ Lepiochy – with rice noodles, carrot, onion, Chinese cabbage, chilli, ginger and coriander, served with ginger mayonnaise

– Halva Mousse – a creamy mousse as light as a cloud, with fluffy halva and white chocolate, served with blackcurrant sauce

– And if you’re a fan of culinary adventures, the ‘Ale Sajgon!’ Crispy Lepiochy will take you to a completely different corner of the world — with ginger, chilli and coriander.

– aPIEROtivo Spritz – the project crowning Pierogarnia’s collaboration with DRAGMA – some time ago, a delegation from Pierogarnia visited Hungary, and a few months later, something emerged that we can be proud of. Something of our own, something that isn’t available anywhere else, and which will soon be making its debut here – the aPIEROtivo liqueur!

A restaurant is all about the people

March and April are also a time for us to take stock of where we stand as a brand, as teams and as individuals.

Because Pierogarnia Stary Młyn is not just a series of locations on a map. It’s made up of hundreds of people who look after our guests every day – in the dining room, in the kitchen, in the office and in management.

We’re committed to development at every level: training, discussions, new challenges and new goals. We know that a good restaurant doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built on hard work, experience and consistency.

April lies ahead

April has greeted us with a strong wind, but it may well be a wind of change. The kind that brings colours, new scents, a touch of nostalgia, a bit of relaxation and fresh energy.

That’s what I wish for myself and for you – more flavours, more encounters, more moments that linger.

PS. The May bank holiday is just around the corner. Get your appetites ready!