The pierogi ruskie, the most typical dish of Poland, are filled with potato, cottage cheese (mató), and caramelized onion. These boiled wheat flour dumplings originate from the ancient region of Ruthania, now Ukraine, and have been prepared artisanally at Polka bar in Les Corts (Cabestany Street, 7) for eight years.
“"Sometimes the best dishes are the simplest ones."
Despite their apparent simplicity, the preparation of pierogi is laborious. The owner, Kamil Ostrowski, has managed to make his homemade products highly sought after for wedding banquets of couples of Polish origin in Barcelona. The process involves boiling and mashing potatoes, mixing them with butter and cottage cheese (one kilo of cheese per kilo of potatoes), and adding fried onion.
Another star dish popular among Barcelona residents is Żurek, a "spectacular" soup made with smoked sausages, vegetables, potato, and, crucially, bread yeast, which gives it a sour flavor. This white broth is served inside an open round loaf of bread, with an egg and sour cream, and is only available during the winter months due to its hearty nature.
The restaurant, which opened in the autumn of 2017, is a personal project of Ostrowski, who wanted to create a window into Polish culture in the city. The atmosphere, from the wooden tables to the 1980s cartoons broadcast on TV, evokes his childhood in the region of Silesia.
