It's Christmas - treat yourself!
Last time we visited Ognisko in South Kensington it was a balmy summer's day and we enjoyed a lovely dinner out on their gorgeous terrace. This time things were a bit different. The temperature outside was in single digits and as we arrived at the restaurant, which shares the same premises as the Polish Hearth Club, they were just winding up a Christmas bazaar.
Happily, Ognisko seems every bit as lovely in the winter as the summer - maybe even more as the food and drink more than lends itself to colder days - namely plenty of icy vodka and rib-sticking dishes like dumplings and potato cakes.
We were here to try the new festive deal they've put on with Kavka Vodka. In the run up to Christmas you can pop in here for one of four festive options around caviar, blinis, vodka and Champagne.
We started with one of the best vodka martinis we'd had all year. Ognisko's owner Jan Woroniecki teamed up with top barman Karol Terejlis and master distiller Urszula Wojcik to create this bold Polish vodka which made a simply wonderful martini.
Next up we ordered the £90 deal with included 50 grams of Oscietra caviar with blinis, sour cream, chopped egg and onion and 10 shots of vodka which we took in a range of flavours from the Kavka to the various flavoured vodkas they make here on site including rhubarb and apple, cherry and a particularly seasonal fig and plum version.
Here's what else we tried while we were there:
Pelmeni filled with Veal and Pork (£8.00) - just the thing to soak up all that vodka
Placki potato pancakes with spiced sautéed chicken livers and dried cherries (£7.50) - the perfect wintry dish.
Sliwowica Plum Tart - doused with booze and set on fire. Finishing as we started.
After this dinner, we're firmly putting Ognisko on that surprisingly short list of London restaurants which does everything well. Yes, it has brought in some innovations to a tried and tested formula, like creating its own vodka, but it also knows what it should be all about and does that with real attention to detail. The dining room was packed with everyone from Christmas parties to couples on dates and a wide mix of all ages. And we liked the way the staff seemed to really care what you ordered.
If you're up in Museum Mile with the kids and grandparents over Christmas, send them both home for quality time afterwards while you recover your Christmas goodwill with vodka and caviar. Or just bring a mate, as we did, in need of comfort and good cheer and all will soon be well with the world.
More about Ognisko
Where is it? 55 Exhibition Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2PG
Festive deal details: The festive Kavka vodka and caviar deal starts at £50 and goes up to £110 depending on the option you go for. It runs until the end of January 2020.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @ogniskorestaurant
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