Hearty welcome:Na Zdrowie offers traditional Polish fare.Sahlan HayesIt's said,pre-drink,as a toast to health. I'm certain I've got the pronunciation down pat - nah zdro-vee-ah - and then I test it out on my Polish sister-in-law. She bursts out laughing. Oh well,no one will know the difference after a few toasts,right?
If that's the celebratory kind of night you're after,this popular,comfortingly folksy-looking restaurant has the goods. Along with the nearly 20 vodkas on offer,plus vodka-based cocktails,is a good selection of Polish beers,wines (mostly Aussie),mead and mulled wine.
The latter is warmed at the table over a candle,the heat enhancing the drink's clove and ginger spices. It's a drink designed to get you through a harsh winter,but by our wussy standards is perfect for almost any day in Poland,and sub-20-degree nights in Sydney.
Crowd-pleasers:Pierogis are a Polish staple.Sahlan HayesFood-wise,the all-weather,all-occasion staple is pierogi. The menu wisely includes four types of these crowd-pleasing dumplings,three veg and one meat,each served boiled or fried. Our pick are the potato- and cheese-filled pierogi,fried (so they're golden and a little chewy) and topped with sour cream and onion.
The words''pork crackling''in the description of smalec makes the dish too irresistible to pass up. But there's no crackle,it's more of a spread - similar to French rillettes. The fatty pork,apple and onion mix is served in a jar,with could-be-fresher triangles of rye bread on the side. The accompanying pickled cucumber makes a perfect counter to the spread's sweet,rich flavour.
Convivial chatter rises in volume as the night progresses,but the smiling floor staff don't skip a beat. The noise and setting - sturdy timber tables,cane-basket-covered lights,huge faux castle doors on one wall and Polish folk art dotted about the room - combine to build expectations for a hearty meal,and the mains fit the bill.
Feast on schnitzel,hunter's stew or potato pancakes,or try kurczak - deboned chicken leg,chargrilled and succulent,served with horseradish sauce of just the right creaminess and kick. On the side are beautifully nutty buckwheat and a sweet carrot slaw.
We end with baked cheesecake,warm and crumbly,topped with blackcurrants. It's one of my sister-in-law's favourites - and if she admits my pronunciation is spot-on,we might be back for another slice,on me.
Do … make a booking,this place is popular.
Don't … underestimate how filling the food is.
Dish … potato and cheese pierogi,fried,with sour cream and onion.
Vibe … conviviality,comfort-food and a dose of kitsch.
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Correction:The original version of this story listed the pierogi as"Russian-style". This is incorrect and has been amended in the text.