Even though Folk Gospoda serves high-calorie dishes, they are prepared from natural ingredients and according to old Polish recipes. The restaurant's interior design, with original wood from peasant cottages and a barn, recreates the atmosphere of a cozy old inn, with guests sitting on wooden benches.

A new feature is a breakfast menu (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-11 a.m., Sat.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.). "Last year, we introduced the very popular lunch buffet so the breakfasts came as a natural step," says manager Iwona Prus. There is a selection of seven sets to choose from including cottage cheese, preserves and toast (zl.8), vegetable omelet (zl.12), sausages and pancakes. With the lunch buffet (Mon.-Fri. 12 p.m.-4 p.m.), the principle is "eat as much as you want" and applies to all dishes: soup, meat, fish and salads. "Our traditional Polish bigos-stewed sauerkraut with wine, plums and a large amount of different types of meat-game dishes and a delicious kaymak layer cake for dessert are what I particularly recommend to foreigners," Prus says. "Polish cuisine is not light and we prepare everything according to old recipes because dishes have to be tasty, as they are at home."

Folk Gospoda also offers game dishes. Guests have the opportunity to taste wild boar sausage or loin of boar, a barbecued lamb steak or a saddle of venison with spinach dumplings.

"Beef scallops, pork loins, żurek-soup made from fermented rye flour-and mushroom soup are particularly popular with our guests," says Prus. Many of them also order pierogi (stuffed dumplings), roast pork with plum and garlic sauce and pork loins with honey and mustard sauce and slices of potato. The restaurant serves delicacies such as kwas-a slightly alcoholic beverage made from fermented mixed cereals, sauerkraut juice and cucumber juice, as well as Old Polish meads, which will soon be served warm with spices.

"In the evenings we have a full list of guests so it is advisable to book a table several days in advance," Prus says. Guests are attracted to Folk Gospoda not only by the excellent dishes but also by its informal atmosphere and the live music: Russian, Balkan, Roma, Jewish and Polish folk. The restaurant has a separate room for nonsmokers.

Folk Gospoda, 13 Waliców St. (the corner of Grzybowska Street), tel. (+48) 22-890-1605, open daily 8 a.m.-midnight; www.folkgospoda.pl; a supervised play area for children is available

Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.