I've moved on...
...to a different domain. Why, what were you thinking? The truth is, I just woke up one day and decided it's time for a change—a metamorphosis, if you will; or, in layman's terms, if Britney can shave her head, then maybe so can I? Nevertheless, it's been a rather handsome 10 years of talking to you, and thank you for putting up with all my moodswings and terrible dad jokes. Fear not! The hormonal imbalance and jokes are more terrible on CUBICLE, see you there.

Passionfruit cocktail + sparkling wine!

Beef Tartar with pickles, mushrooms, onions and capers

Octopus slices with roasted red peppers and olive oil dressing

Roasted Lamb chops with peppers in rosemary sauce

Baked Pike perch, BEST TASTING FISH EVER.

Meringue with Lychee & passionfruit | Watermelon + coconut shots

Rarely do I cross the bridge to the Praga district of east Warsaw – 1) because I basically never leave the house (except for food, evidently) and 2) because the east is considered a slightly dodgy part of town (i.e. chav village). Seeing bulletholes from WWII in buildings is common and growing up, my mother had set a you shall not pass command for that end. Turns out now the neighbourhood has been gentrified so much that it’s now being called ‘Soho’ of Warsaw. But because I’d still thought it was run-down and dangerous, when Ania invited us (Harel, her husband and myself) over to Porto Praga for lunch it was like I’d gotten in the car with a blindfold and handcuffs on. Although, you come up to me in a car and promise food,  hey I’ll tie my hands and shove myself in the trunk. Basically, this place should be a landmark. You melt in the atmosphere, the food melts in your mouth. The chef focuses on emphasizing the natural taste of the ingredients so the tastebuds aren’t punched down with an overwhelming sauce and never recover to taste the actual Pike perch. On hindsight (writing this post) I shouldn’t have taken photos because now I’m angry my stomach does not have a ‘save for later’ function. Such a MS DOS stomach I posses.

Put this place just after your hotel check-in on your to-do list if you’re planning to visit Warsaw.

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54 Comments

  1. Yoyo Yip

    Looks yum, especially the fish!!

    Yoyo fr Hong Kong

  2. It’s 04:51am as I am typing this comment, looking at your foodie pics in awe of desperation whether to get out of my bed, chuck my laptop aside, walk to the kitchen which seems like miles away and grab an oily crispy skinned chicken thighs from a fridge???!!! My tummy is fighting for hunger :S

    Ah man it’s like fine dinning in dodgy side of Shoreditch, Les Trois Garcon is a restuarant I wanna eat, sleep and play pictures.

  3. GOOD COMPARISON! Shoreditch/East End is SOOOooo the scene that suits Praga.
    We should hit up Les Trois Garcon and demand a lunch. <3

  4. Cat

    Beautiful photographs (as always)! The lamp chops look amazingly tasty. I wonder how they got the watermelon shots to be that color.

    -Cat from Ann Arbor

  5. Wow wow wow! I’m so envious! Seriously, looking at your screen is making my mouth water!

    x
    http://www.lostinthehaze.com

  6. wow what a gorgeous restaurant and photos! the food looks DELICIOUS. and so does the drink!

  7. Oh how I miss food posts on fashion blogs! The red octopus looks pretty tasty. The decor is welcoming and exciting, of course I am jealous.

  8. Now I’m hungry! Looks delicious.

  9. yobruva

    W O W

  10. Beautiful photos!

  11. Magya

    Hi Shini, I’ve been living in Praga for 3 years now and I’m delighted with this part of Warsaw:) I was also a bit suspicious at the beginning but now I cannot imagine living anywhere else (ok, maybe Italy :)))) And my neighbour – Park Skaryszewski is the most beautiful park in Poland :))) Nice to see Praga on your amazing photos. Have a great stay :)

    a bloglover of Park & Cube

  12. porto praga is fab, but you should really see the praga zone – it has so many old magic corners :)))

    xoxo from rome
    K.
    http://kcomekarolina.blogspot.com/

  13. JUN

    hello~

    i love ur photo style that looks so clean and clear.

    could you tell me what kind of camera brand you’re using?

    and lenses as well. thx~

  14. Hi Jun, I use a Canon 5D Mark II with Canon 50mm f1.4 :)

  15. @Shini, you use your 50mm for ALL your pictures? :O

    i love macro lenses, but they can be quite annoying to shoot with. :(

  16. Shini, I guffawed at your “MS DOS stomach” comment.

    =D

  17. fabulous shots, absolutely lovely details

    http://elenavasilieva.blogspot.com/
    x

  18. Ohh these are so pretty. x hivennn

  19. I’ve only just had breakfast but your photos are making me hungry again.

  20. beautiful.
    love number 1 and 10. such awesome colours :)

  21. It’s so fancy I’m gonna die!

    As if I needed ANOTHER reason to want to come visit you… this looks insane. Everything is presented so beautifully and the photographs capture the environment so well.

    LOVE it when you include food photos on here… xx

  22. i tend to agree with you about the fish. i had it on friday night and it is absolutely delicious. this restaurant looks so elegant and nice!

    http://wordbyjessie.com

  23. oh the food looks delicious !!
    pictures beautiful and look perfect, I love your blog!

  24. This place looks amazing! My stomach now too is on the hunt for tasty meats.

  25. Nice pics!
    Like the cocktail !
    http://brillenmode.blogspot.com

  26. wow everything looks so delicious..Lovely pictures!!

  27. Yao

    Done and done, I’m definitely going there when I’m in Warsaw. One of my biggest regrets the last time I was in Europe was not making it to Poland. I will definitely have to remedy that next time, and thanks to your absolutely mouth-watering pictures, I’ll have even more of an incentive to go!

  28. Oh my word, the food looks so delicious! And pretty. And DELICIOUS. (Sorry, it’s nearly lunchtime here in my corner of the world.)

    Beautiful photos, Shini. :)

  29. I’ve eaten my dinner but now I’m hungry again ^_^

    Please vote for me to win Westfield’s blogger style competition!

  30. One more reason to hop into that imaginative car and have an 8 drive! :)

  31. The food looks amazing. Just looking at it makes you feel hungry. Now I have to go to a restaurant. That’s final. And take my Cat. He pays.

  32. Oh my, that looks divine!! :)

  33. AAA this restaurant looks so chic !!!
    aa and you shoes the right skirt to match with the sofa !!!

  34. OMG this post totally made my mouth water. Every dish looks amazing!

  35. You fit in so well in that environment!

  36. Kamila

    I love this restaurant! :) and also love your photos :)!

  37. Okay, I have to admit I love that picture 1. The colors are magnifique. Eerrrr… what is it actually?

  38. the photos are stunning and all that food looks so exotic and delicious! how is beef tartare? I’ve always wondered but don’t know if I’d be brave enough to try it, lol. i love your green skirt/pants? and your coral clutch, such great colors for Spring!

    Beneaththe Glass

  39. silvia

    What a gorgeous restaurant!

    Love the twig growing out of the teapot.

  40. Got me hungry, lol!

  41. that place looks ugh-maz-ing!!!
    ymu


    http://www.lollipopsandlipgloss.com

  42. I love your blog, how gorgeous!
    XOXO Nicole, VPV Team Member
    Check us out & follow @ http://www.vantagepointvintage.com/blog/

  43. Really beautiful pictures!!!

  44. Jagoda

    mmm.. my tummy rumble :( breathtaking views..

  45. Oh, this looks so amazing. I once tasted something similar to the meringue + passionfruit, so Yes! I envy you! I really love the tones in these pictures too! You look pretty.

  46. That looks delicious!
    Are those pants or a skirt what you are wearing?

    xoxo
    Julia

  47. Pants! These green ones to be exact ;)

  48. That’s food porn that is. Sensational.

    My cheese and ham toastie looks on enviously…

    Vicky x

  49. Spectacular photos! Everything looks delicious!
    http://www.soyfrivolita.blogspot.com

  50. I wonder how it is like to eat raw meat, does it taste good at all?

  51. That’s what I was thinking before I had a bite and it was UHMAZING. Just try not to get the minced-meatish Tartars……

  52. All dishes look yummy. you always post amazing captures, that’s why I’m a huge fan of your blog ^^

  53. damina

    hello, shini, I really like your pics. i insisted to go to warszawa for holiday just because of your blog (my husband is not a big fan of warszawa).
    its shocking to walk from city center to praga. How two areas can be so polarized ,just cross the bridge.
    we dined at porto praga. Food are amazingly tasty. however the roasted pike perch i had is far from your picture. it served with some heavy cream sauce and spinch, bit disappointed..
    its a shame i didint make it to the shop zien, i ran out of time. next time definetely…
    btw, everything is very pricy in warsyawa, more than london sometimes. i wonder how people can survive there.
    all in all, thank you for sharing with us your journal
    damina from south london

  54. Ania

    @Damina:
    actually the Shini’s picture presents cod not pike-perch, it’s why probably your order looked a bit different ;-) If you ever decide to give a second chance to Porto Praga, have the cod, you will end in heaven.