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Knuckle down and enjoy a solid eating experience at Sto Lat in the Ashfield Polish Club. The widely-spaced tables give you plenty of elbow room to conquer Golonka ($33), the menu’s pork knuckle centrepiece. Served with sauerkraut, smooth mash, mustard and jus, it only wants for wee bit of tangy horseradish ($4) to aid digestion as you engage with this mountain of meat encased in crisp golden crackling. Żubrówka Vodka also helps, though you might attract some side-eye here if you try to order it with anything other than apple juice. Club drink prices mean you can likely order both it and a Polish beer chaser for the same price as one drink most anywhere else.
Polish dumplings come in three varieties, with the pierogi z kapusta i grzybami ($10/4), filled with a mix of cabbage and mushroom, eating best for me. For a mouth-popping drinking snack, grzyby panierowane or crumbed mushrooms ($12.50) dragged through herbed aioli do an adequate job. For something more filling, placki ziemniaczane or potato pancakes ($16) have crisp golden exteriors and thick fluffy centres. Kick them up into a light meal with the addition of a gentle creamy mushroom sauce ($2); or a complete dinner with a pot of goulash ($4.50). It’s a good way to sample the beef-based stew without committing to the whole bowl of goulash ($25) with spätzle (squiggly Swiss egg noodles).
Bowls of dill-heavy creamy potato salad ($6) and sauerkraut ($6) can be shared with the whole table to round out any comers. I do recommend saving a little space though for their house-made plum jam-filled doughnuts or cheesecake.
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Saluted by the soldier uniforms on the sides of the staircase, as a tribute to the once wartorn Warsaw, I found/lost myself at the Sto Lat Cafe.
Sydney prides itself on multiculturalism and often this is reflected by its diversity in cuisine choices, yet it is rare to find an authentic taste of the Polish accent, 20 minutes away from the heart of CBD.
This cafe, or restaurant rather, can be found inside the Polish Club at Ashfield. No one would’ve guessed or known its existence if not for a lucky nudge, and indeed it has been a pleasant surprise.
The portions of the food were huge for their prices. One main would be more than enough for 2 average adults. I was accompanied by my partner and together we have ordered the crumbed mushroom for entree, the roast duck and the renowned golonka for main. In the end we have enough leftovers for another meal.
The mushroom was deep fried and hot in temperature yet it was unusually juicy when you bit into it. It also came with a special homestyle mayo which in my opinion carried a unique taste which resembled blue cheese, it wasn’t for everyone. I could not decide whether I liked it or not; and I’ve failed to take sides before my astonishment to my huge plate of golonka - the roast pork knuckle. It was culturally rich and heavy in taste as are all Polish dishes. Cutting and breaking into the skin could be a bit of a chore, however it was vibrant and impressive for audience such as myself as I seldom get the chance of experiencing Polish food. This is a very nice dish, accompanied by sauerkraut and mash. I must say, the company of the latter could be a distraction to the protagonist of this dish because they were perfectly cooked (and much easier to deal with).
The roast duck was equally delicious. I did find it a little dry and chewy for my liking but overall a good dish. Portion was generous.
The staff were friendly and notably more like tour guides than waiters as they get carried away with modern Polish history throughout the evening. Given what I had experienced, I would recommend Sto Lat to anyone.
Best food and well known Ashfield's hidden culinary gem. Away from main road, walking distance from public transport and Ashfield mall, there is no reason not to visit more often. Beautiful Pirogue, Beetroot Soup, Chicken Schnitzel, Polish sausages, cakes etc. With traditional drinks and every other available, human touch through customer service bring this place up where it belongs.
C U soon, again
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