On stepping inside Metamorfoza, the first thing to hit us was the blissful lack of cigarette smoke. After a couple of years of the smoking ban in Belfast, we are well used to being able to enjoy a meal without the intrusion of tobacco smoke – and happy to leave without smelling like an ash tray.
So hopefully the smoke free space of Metamorfoza is symbolic of changing attitudes in Poland. It is worth noting, however, that replacing one unwanted smell with another does not make for an ideal eating experience – scented candles on every table may tie in with the attractive flower murals on the walls, but made things smell a little too floral.
We’d also suggest that pictures of a Spanish bull fight are far from the most appetizing images, perhaps there are less controversial ways to invoke the Mediterranean influence on the menu?
Anyway, on with the food, bullet point style!
Starters
- Jumbo King Prawns in roasted in oil with slivers of garlic. Served with garlic and herb toast. Delicious. Garlic was mild and sweet. Prawns were juicy and tasty.
- Beef carpaccio with capers, lemon, rocket, parsley & olive oil. Refreshing starter using quality beef.
- Ciabatta and Garlic Oil (Complimentary)
Mains
- Tuna steaks with garlic butter, potato wedges, cucumber and yoghurt salad. This dish was the let-down of the night. The wedges were of the frozen variety and the tuna was so overcooked it might as well be canned. The disc of garlic butter placed on top of the tuna was ice cold, cooling the tuna and ultimately not melting.
- Beef fillet with baked potato and sour cream & green peppercorn sauce. A strong dish. Well cooked, quality beef and a peppercorn sauce that gave a bit of kick. The baked potato was superb. Good sized portion if you want to tackle a dessert.
Desserts
- Creme Brulee. Excellent topping, cracking through into a liquid custard. Tasted fine, but did not appear to have ever been set like a creme brulee should be.
- Pancakes with banana puree, cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The banana puree was tasty and the pancakes were fine but the whole dish lacked texture.
Overall then this was one of our most pleasant dining experiences in Gdansk. The restaurant was busy on a Sunday night – young couples, groups of friends, families and older diners taking up the cosy brown and red booths. The serving staff were also lovely and tried their best to help when our limited Polish failed us with the menu.
The portions might seem small if used to ‘hearty’ Polish cuisine, but the quality shines through and it meant we left without needing to be rolled. At £25 (about 100 PLN) per person including drinks, the menu was reasonably priced and we’ll definitely be heading back.
Metamorfoza
Ulica Szeroka 22/23 – 24/26.
80-835 Gdansk
210 PLN including a couple of glasses of wine, a beer and coffee.
4 bulbs of garlic out of 5
