New restaurant brings a touch of finesse to traditional Polish cooking

The Knaypa Restaurant, an idea conceived by owner Monika Milcarz, is suitably located in Hammersmith, London, home to the UK’s largest Polish community. The restaurant is a result of Monika’s penchant for the London restaurant scene and her pang for good quality home cooked Polish food.

As a result, The Knaypa brings together the best of traditional Polish cuisine with the modern flair of its highly talented chef Dominik Moskalenko.

At The Knaypa you can choose from two dining areas: the ground floor has a contemporary design with pale wooden flooring, coloured opaque mirrors, red leather seating and crisp white linen; the downstairs area, reminiscent of an old Silesian inn, is more rustic and an entirely different proposition altogether with dark wooden furniture, atmospheric lighting and homely atmosphere.

In keeping with the style of this lower section the food is served in time-honoured fashion on hand carved lime wooden platters adding a touch of authenticity to the whole affair.

The menu at The Knaypa has something to tempt everyone from the robust country flavours of Central Europe to lighter dishes that fuse Polish ingredients prepared with finesse from the West. Dominik has worked in some of the West End’s most celebrated restaurants including Le Caprice and Scott’s of Mayfair where he was chef de partie and sous chef respectively and evidence of his past experiences is apparent on the menu.

As well as Polish staples such as pierogi, golabki and bigos, dishes include ‘Soured Rye Flour Soup with White Sausage, Ceps, Marjoram and Quail Eggs’, ‘King Prawns with Braised Fennel & Basmati Rice’, ‘Venison Roulade on Red Cabbage with Lyonnaise Potatoes’, ‘Wild Boar Loin with Buckwheat and Seasonal Vegetables’, ‘Pan Fried Salmon Fillet with Creamed Spinach’ and ‘Traditional Baked Polish Cheesecake’.

Knaypa’s cellar boasts some superb accompanying beverages to our food menu with a fine selection of Polish beers and vodkas, both plain and flavoured, and a small but perfectly formed wine list. Eastern Europe’s most popular soft drink is Kvass and at The Knaypa it is available on draught. A fermented drink made from rye bread, Kvass is surprisingly refreshing and ideal for children.

The Knaypa is open seven days a week for both lunch and dinner so, as they say in Poland, “Eat, drink and loosen your belt!” - Na Zdrowie!

The Knaypa is located at 268 King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 0SP.