Outstanding “Surf and Turf” cuisine at Krakow’s Radisson SAS Hotel

For a long time, it was difficult for seafood lovers to find something extraordinary in Krakow. And eating a good fresh fish together with meat? Unthinkable! But recently that has changed. “Surf and turf” cuisine offered by the Krakow Radisson SAS Hotel should meet the expectations of even the most demanding gourmets. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening the buffet at the hotel features seafood and steaks prepared as the diner desires. If we want it grilled, we’ll have it grilled. If we prefer cooked fish, it’s not a problem either.

The customer in effect becomes the chef, watching as the food is prepared. And in addition to convenience, the service is fast. The fish on the menu are visible in glass fridges next to the bar. But the choice is still difficult. Fresh salmon, trout, halibut, grass carp, crucian, monkfish and tiger shrimps are waiting to be prepared at the client’s request. Dipped in ice cubes, they all look very appetizing. Next to the seafood is another glass cooler with raw meat: beef, pork, lamb and poultry.

According to the “surf and turf” culinary concept, the meat should be added to the seafood meal. The name goes back at least to the 1960s on the Atlantic coast of North America. Obviously, surf refers to seafood and turf to beef animals fed on grass. The name used by the Radisson SAS Hotel is particularly common in the U.S. The dish is also called “reef and beef” in Australia Depending on our tastes, the cook will add ingredients to the meal. “This might be Dutch sauce, bearnaise sauce, choron sauce, green pepper sauce, blue cheese sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and chili sauce,” says Arkadiusz Slusarenko, the sauce chef at the restaurant.

“We often exchange culinary ideas with our clients.” Before the main course, guests may order soup. Also there is a big buffet in the middle of the dining room offering salads, starters and appetizers. These include delicious eggplants baked with sheep cheese and tomato. Although the theme is “surf and turf,” the restaurant doesn’t ignore vegetarians. They might choose some dishes from the buffet: baked beetroots with thyme, baked jacked potatoes, jasmine rise, baked pumpkins in brown sugar and coriander, carrots in honey and ginger, and broccoli with garlic and oyster sauce. During our visit to the restaurant, we were curious if other diners enjoyed the food as much as I did. Elzbieta Uznanska and Marek Uznanski, lovers of good cuisine, dine at the restaurant regularly.

“We want to try everything because it is so good!” they said. “Such shrimps are hard to find in the whole of Europe! And the fantastic asparagus is, apart from here, only available in Vienna.” Every month the restaurant introduces something new to the menu. For example, in June strawberries were offered in a variety of desserts, including strawberry cake and really fantastic mascarpone cheese with fresh strawberries. In July there were some inventive low-calorie meals. August features fresh wild fruits: yellow changerelle, raspberries and blueberries.

The buffet is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 18:00 and 23:00. Its price is 99 zloty per person, which includes soft drinks and house wine. For an additional 100 zloty, the cook will prepare a fresh lobster to your specifications. The restaurant also will organize different kinds of parties and provide catering. ADVERTORIAL