Krakow - Charlotte - The Cheese Platter

Dearest hearts,

I had been thinking, for a while now, how to say this - how to put this down into words... It's hard to see a place your truly love, a place that has come close to your heart, a place that you feel at home in, dissapoint you :( It's a challenge and you wonder whom is to blame! This happened to me with my beloved Charlotte, on Plac Szcepanski - Krakow. I had spent there wonderful times in the company of my friends, family and sometimes even alone - when I needed some time off to disconnect from the world. I love the fresh smell of bread and pastries, I loved its location (so city center!) and the nice prices, I adored the way that they serve the most 7th heaven breakfast! Last time I went there I was in a mood for a quick snack that would give me some energy so I thought a platter of cheeses would do the trick - it always does the trick for me! :)  but this time I was quite dissapointed... It was surely NOT up to my expectations and surely NOT up to a restaurant, like Charlotte, that prides itself on being "typically french".

The price:

1) Assiette de fromages - 11 zloty - selection of 4 French cheeses: goat, Pave 3 Provinces, Gruyere, bleu, accompanied by toasted Charlotte bread.

2) Soya milk - one cup - 6 zloty

I believe that the best platter of cheeses I have had, until now in Krakow, was at Pod Sukiennice Kompania Kuflowa. I loved how they combined the cheeses - which were fresh and tasty, each time I tried them!. They featured a blend of cheeses typically Polish but also non-Polish: sheep cheese (bryndzy), Bulgarian cow cheese, dor blue, Gouda cheese and mountain cheese (oscypek) - type Camembert. Besides it, you will also get some apple, grapes and nuts + a small basket with bread. Well... having this in mind I expected something special from Charlotte... and I was disappointed! The french toast was nice and proper and the cut strawberry was a nice touch but I was disapointed of the way the cheese was displayed and also the quality of some of them. The yellow cheese was definetely aweful and it was so hard/dry that I could barely cut it with the knife! (nevermind trying to chew it...). Another disappointment came in the form that I asked for tea and there was NO tea, then I asked for lemonade and there was NO lemons! and this was not the end of the week, it was the bloody middle! so I had to settle down for some warm soya milk - which at least was decent.

Don't get me wrong, I will go to Charlotte again but I was so very sad and dissapointed, I just had to share with you! I hope you never catch Charlotte in  an odd day, like I did... hopefully it's just a stroke of bad luck I had then... fingers crossed all goes well next time!

Yours truly,

The Twisted Red LadyBug