A new location has been added to the gastronomy map of Warsaw. Syrena Irena awaits those who would like to try traditional national food in combination with special ingredients with the redesigned dishes of the classic Polish pierogi.
When Syrena Irena was founded, the aim was to find delicious pierogies in the city beyond the old-fashioned cafeterias, in a restaurant that, although based on tradition in its appearance, can still be a very fresh, contemporary spot in the city. Pierogi is the national dish of the Poles, where the thinly stretched dough is filled with different fillings, and the cooked dumplings are often roasted in a pan. Salty and sweet versions are also known, but they are typically filled with potatoes and cheese, or cabbage and mushrooms and vegetables, usually served with sour cream and fried bacon or onions on the dumplings.
Syrena Irena offers classic flavors with special ingredients: fermented ramsons, smoked cottage cheese fillings, poppy seeds, raisins, seeds. We can ask for the usual sour cream and bacon topping, but there are also celery pieces, mushroom-powdered butter or herring roe. In addition to the pierogis, we also see on the menu a quality contemporary transcription of other food and beverages traditionally derived from Polish cuisine, such as herring fried in flaxseed and hemp oil, sour rye soup and steak tartare made from oyster mushrooms and tomatoes, and in the case of thirst extinguishers, drinks from fermented beetroot and vodka are represented among the beverages typical of the Polish region.
The Projekt Praga was responsible for the interior design solutions of the bistro, and Mamastudio was responsible for the identity. The building hosting the restaurant was built in the early 1950s, and the designers took this into account when marking the main directions of the visuality. Warsaw in the fifties and sixties was the inspiration: neon signs, mosaic tiles, milk glass lamps and terrazzo-like table tops bring the mid-century atmosphere into the otherwise modern interior. In the logo and in the space, the motif of the naming character, the patron of Warsaw, the mermaid named by the restaurant in this case Irena, is reflected. In the identity, the combination of bright blue, pink and earth colors is paired with a dynamic graphic expression. There is also a segment reminiscent of show kitchens in the space, through which one can see the technique of kneading and folding pierogi.
Photos: PION Studio, Zuza Kozerska
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