W Maśle: All-Day Dining in Solec

Very few restaurants can boast a packed house from day one, but W Maśle is definitely one of them. I'm not exaggerating: by midday on just its second day of operation, even the outdoor terrace was already almost completely full.

Originally, I was only planning to post a short news update about W Maśle. But after seeing all the buzz, I ended up visiting twice in a single day – partly to write a proper review, and partly to understand what was driving the popularity.

The place looks effortlessly impressive: pastel tones, huge windows, floor-to-ceiling aged mirrors, a striking light fixture above the bar, and a spacious outdoor terrace. I imagine it's exactly the kind of place local residents had been hoping for.

Everything would have been just about perfect if it weren't for one tiny little detail – an office thoughtfully set up by the owners right in the middle of the dining room. I can occasionally understand a manager working from a laptop, but when there's a bloody printer sitting on the table alongside accounting folders, that's taking things a bit too far. What's next – a safe for the day's takings?

The concept behind W Maśle is straightforward: comfort food, a dedicated breakfast menu until 3 p.m., an evening menu with wine afterwards, and an interior designed to look as Instagram-friendly as possible. For this neighbourhood, it feels like a very smart formula. The kitchen is led by chef Przemysław Suska, whom I last encountered at the now-closed Muzealna.

Let's start with breakfast.

The fried egg and truffle toast (49 PLN) definitely falls into the food-porn category – at least visually. The flavour is a little more complicated. It's nicely put together, elegant, and carries a certain understated sophistication, but there's one significant issue: the sauce is noticeably oversalted. That's particularly problematic here because the airy brioche absorbs the sauce, making the saltiness even more intense. The Parmesan on top doubles down on it, while the truffle amplifies everything further. Instead of a comforting brioche, what stays with you is an overwhelmingly salty aftertaste.

The seasonal salad (36 PLN) is quite enjoyable, but also extremely basic. Mixed leaves, asparagus, broad beans, a couple of green beans, and a neutral vinaigrette-style dressing – everything works, but I would have been less surprised to see it listed as a side rather than a standalone dish.

Of course, I couldn't resist ordering the bread. It's quite good, especially the cumin loaf. The fact that a restaurant called «W Maśle» («In Butter») doesn't serve a butter knife with the bread, however, is at the very least amusing.

Breakfast service deserves a separate mention because it's genuinely excellent. Not just excellent for a restaurant in its opening days, but excellent full stop. Fast, attentive, asking for feedback at exactly the right moments, friendly without becoming overfamiliar – this was one of those rare occasions when I left a 45% tip and then spent the next few minutes wondering whether that had actually been enough.

By evening, the restaurant transforms. Visually, it becomes even more impressive, thanks largely to the lighting and the finally illuminated feature lamp. From a hospitality perspective, though, things went completely off the rails. At least during my visit.

A hostess invited guests inside, left them standing beside a «Please wait to be seated» sign, and silently walked back behind the bar. Then she made four separate trips across the dining room carrying a dog bowl instead of taking our order. In the end, it took fifteen minutes just to get the opportunity to tell the server which dishes I wanted. Hooray.

The beef tartare (55 PLN) is genuinely very good: lightly pickled red onion, Dijon mustard, dill oil (with, I think, a hint of celery), and a lively lovage mayonnaise. There is, however, one rather amusing detail: the serving temperature. It seemed as though the tartare had been sitting near the heat lamps on the pass, so the top layer was slightly warmer than room temperature, while the bottom remained properly chilled.

The next two dishes both cried out for bread and butter, since most of each plate consisted of sauce. Guests have no way of knowing that, but the staff really should mention it and suggest adding a bread basket. They didn't.

The game croquettes (46 PLN) are excellent in both texture and concept, although the yogurt and kimchi sauce may be a touch too spicy for some people.

The zucchini flower stuffed with twaróg (39 PLN) and served on gazpacho is as summery and seasonal as it gets – exactly the sort of dish that deserves to be paired with a glass of pét-nat on a warm evening.

Overall, the location, the interior, and the concept behind W Maśle all make perfect sense. On Rozbrat, it has virtually no direct competition, and it's hard to imagine that changing anytime soon. The execution, however, is still very uneven – both when it comes to the food and, more importantly, the overall experience.

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