BREAKING BREAD
Realize, Recognize, Reveal
Café Poland
Café Poland is a small but impressive restaurant in downtown Columbia, Mo. It is owned and operated by a single Polish family. The owner, Robert Burlinski, runs the shop along side his mother, Iwona Galijska.
Galijska is the restaurant's sole cook, making pierogi in the traditional fashion, but with a twist. She had ammended her family recipes to suit the American customer's preferences and to make them healthier. Galijska said she has stopped using butter and now uses olive oil in her cooking.
The restaurant is not large in size. It comfortably seats about 15 people. The use of paper plates and plastic utensils adds to the small feel.
If you're new to Polish food, I suggest you dive in and try the pierogi. There are four different types on their menu so there is something for everyone. I also recommend the goulash. The portion sizes are quite generous.
Coffee Zone
Mediterranean food meets coffee at this locally owned restaurant in downtown Columbia. The menu features Greek staples like baklava, gyros and hummus along with a traditional coffee selection. The food is made fresh when ordered.
Coffee Zone manager Issam Yanis can often be seen watching soccer with some of his regulars.
I recommend the walnut baklava. The phyllo bread is flaky and paper-thin. The walnut filling adds even more texture to the dessert with just the right amount of sweetness. Yanis suggests warming it before eating, a special treatment he gives to his favorite customers.
The décor has a quintessential Jordanian feel. Photographs and tapestries hang on the walls and ornate lanterns swing down from the ceiling. The large storefront window allows natural light to stream in. Music plays loudly enough to fill dead air but not so loud to be distracting, making it a great place to study.
U Knead Sweets
Helena Shih's pastries not only visually impressive but also delicious. U Knead Sweets is a locally owned bakery that offers customers both traditional European options as well as unique Asian inspired ones.
All the items available at U Knead Sweets are made fresh daily by owners Helena and Allen Shih. Helena's motto is that people eat first with their eyes, so her desserts are a reflection of that. They are colorful, interesting and beautiful.
I really enjoyed the green tea and red bean cake. The bitterness of the green tea is complimented by the sweetness of the red bean. Shih thinks this Asian dessert will be even more popular when students return in the fall. Other popular items are the macaroons, cheesecake and carrot cakes.
