Kinga's Lounge: Polish that needs some polish

ES had never tried Polish food before, and when he picked me up from MC and ET's place in Denver one Friday evening, he suggested that we try Kinga's Lounge, located not far from their apartment. When we walked in we found a nearly empty dining room, which didn't seem to bode well. Still, it was the end of happy hour, and our two beers, above, were only four bucks a bottle.

We started with two appetizers: bigos (described on the menu as "Polish national dish") and smoked kielbasa with caramelized onions. The former, while fine, wasn't the best rendition; it was watery and lacked the layered richness of stewed meat and sauerkraut that I was looking for. The kielbasa was better—splitting and grilling the sausage gave it a crackly skin that went well with the juicy meat inside.

We decided to also take advantage of happy hour by getting two orders of assorted boiled pierogi—each one stuffed with either meat, potato, and cheese—for the price of one (shown above are both orders in one dish). Unfortunately, a double order of thick, gummy wrappers surrounding gluey fillings is not always the best deal. Aside from their leaden texture, however, the flavor of the pierogi were fine.

I didn't end the meal completely dissatisfied, and in a city that seems to lack many other Polish restaurants, Kinga's Lounge might very well be your best bet. All the same, I'd be sad if this was ES's only experience with the cuisine. Suggestions, anyone, for a better Polish meal in Denver?

Back at it

Soft serve sampler from Momofuku Milk Bar in the East Village: horchata, red velvet, old-fashioned donut, cereal milk flavors; caramelized corn flakes, toasted coconut, and cinnamon sugar toppings. Consumed, with friends, January 2011.

Readers, I've mentioned this before, but you really don't know how sad I was that I was unable to keep up Salty/Savory/Sweet for the last few years. Those of you who follow me (anyone still out there?) know that I rely on this blog to serve as a document of my adventures, both in eating and in life, as well as a record of my success or failure with the recipes I try. Unfortunately, the work involved in pursuing my fiction MFA degree while teaching simply made regular attention to this blog impossible. It's all appropriate, I suppose, but it didn't make my prolonged departure from this venue any easier.

Polish meal at Karczma in Greenpoint, Brooklyn: white borchst; pickle soup; stuffed cabbage; pierogis; kielbasa; sauteed cabbage; and roasted ham hock in beer. Consumed, with friends, January 2011. We followed this meal with donuts from Peter Pan.

But hey! I've submitted and defended my thesis, and am due to graduate at the end of the semester. My workload has lessened, which means I now—finally—have time again to restart this blog. So stay tuned, willya? Posts on recent Denver-area eating are forthcoming: a buffet at a casino nestled deep in the mountains; a burger so large and juicy that I needed a stack of napkins to consume it; a cream-cheese frosted cinnamon roll as large as my face; and a buffalo wing joint that also serves an extensive menu of Cambodian and Indonesian food. An upcoming weekend in Taos, New Mexico promises encounters with Pueblo green chili and the slopper, and I'll also be back in NYC for a visit in May, armed with a long list of places I want to try or revisit.

Hotpot at home: consumed, with family, Christmas 2010. Who needs ham or a roasted bird?

In the meanwhile, here are the rest of the Coloradoan restaurant profiles I've written since the last roundup:


"Big Al's Burgers and Dogs serves up satisfying fare"
"A Mediterranean feast awaits diners in Old Town"
"Ace Gillette's Lounge indulges sophisticated pleasures"
"BBQ Buffet: Nordy's a comfort food haven"


"Vincent Heavenly Pies and Pasta serve it up in an elegant atmosphere"
"Farmer's Table fills you up with no-fuss comfort food"
"Souza's Smokin' BBQ should be on your radar"
"Fresh choices make Little Bird Bakeshop irresistible"

So there it is—I'm excited, are you? See you soon!