Zakopane - Bacowskie Jadlo - Homemade food

My dear travelers,

I have told you before about the beauties of Zakopane and what you can visit in this mountain based town, but today I will also tell you about one of the places we like to stop and eat. But until I get started with the delicious food, let me tell you a bit about Zakopane. The city is located between the famous (for the Polish) peak called Gubalowka and the high peaks of the Tatra mountain. Zakopane was not always a popular and posh place to be, it started being so more in the 19-20 century. Before it was the home of the mountain highlanders that produce the amazing traditional Polish (usually smoked) cheese called oscypek :) it still is, right now, but the place has become more and more overflooded by tourists - I recommend you to go off season ;) so you can really enjoy it!

Zakopane has it all. Most spectacular location with beautiful scenery, skiing for families on gentle and long cruising slopes and runs were experts can explore endless chutes, glades, gullies and remote bowls. When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, here you will find it for families and groups of varying abilities to ski together. There are beginner and intermediate runs on most slopes. Nosal and Kasprowy with more demanding runs are for the experts. You don't have to bring the equipment with you, there are many conveniently located rental facilities. For the beginners there are many instructors at each run and for those who wish to explore further the mountains Zakopane has the finest guides. With certified instructors, you will learn all about snow pack and avalanche awareness, and be able to enjoy the incredible beauty of the wilderness. The skiing season usually lasts here from December till the early May. Zakopane has hosted: FIS World Ski Championships, Winter Universiades, Biathlon World Championship, Ski Jump World Cups, and Nordic Combined, Nordic and Alpine European Cups (source).

Each time we get to Zakopane and we have to eat out we always choose the same place. The first time we went there was almost 4 years ago, with my best Polish friend - for her birthday. She is from Zakopane so we trusted her 100% - the place was amazing and all our group agreed: huge portions and great homemade food at reasonable prices. The place I speak of is called "Bacowskie Jadlo".  I remember the first time we went there we all had a soup and a second dish but none of us - not even the boys! - managed to eat everything from the places. The place is located somehow not city center; as you go towards the Gubalowka, at the end of the Krupowki street, you need to make a right and walk down the street a few meters (not much!). You will see a wooden-made house with the sign of "Bacowskie Jadlo - Kuchnia Domowa".

The prices:
- smoked bacon soup with ribs = 10 zloty
- Polish style schnitzel with potatoes and salad = 17 zloty
- pork leg with mustard and bread = 21 zloty

The total, per person, rises (with drinks - water/juice/tea) up to 25-30 zloty per person. Usually we pay cash but I believe there is an option to pay by card as well ;) but it's nice to have some change for the 10% tip (if you like the place).

Homemade ribs and bacon soup / Polish schnitzel with potatoes and 2 types of salad :)

Marek and I split the smoked bacon soup, which was smooth and delicious. I know the schnitzel was not as big as the one we usually have at Pod Wawelem / Pod Sukiennice, but Marek said the portion was decent - and to tell you the truth, I don't quite like potatoes but these ones looked really nice. My shock was great when I ordered for the pork leg with mustard... again I am much used to the way Pod Wawelem / Pod Sukiennice is serving, and I was expecting a piece of pork leg (small one) with mustard and maybe some french fries... I was overwhelmed by the portion! My plate (food) was the biggest... I really thought I would not make it or I would just get sick from eating only pork meat with mustard and bread. Well it looks I was wrong! It was one of the best post knuckles I have ate in Poland - tender, fresh and well done meat. I could not help myself, and even though Marek was making fun, I truly enjoyed it! And put in front of the picture, before ordering, I still think I would have done it! :) I am a meat fan, I will always admit to that - the greatest vegetable is pork! :) 

How about you? Are you a pork (meat in general) fan? If ever you will be in Poland and you will wish for a typical Polish dish, you may have troubles in finding something vegetarian... so break the rules from time to time and have a pork knuckle! First at Pod Wawelem / Pod Sukiennice and then have a small day-break in Zakopane and try this one at Bacowskie Jadlo. Let me know which one you liked best ;) or do you know maybe another place... Krakow or surrounding areas, that does a "mean" pork knuckle? Let me know, I would like to try ;)

* I was not repayed in any way for this post and all the opinions are my very own, straight from the heart! *
 
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that loves cozy home-like places