Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 23rd 2007, 7:51am By Christa Glennie Seychew

Some may find it surprising that with a menu offering only a dozen or so items, Europa Bistro has gathered a large and very devoted following in the short year it’s been open. After one visit you'll quickly understand their dedicated customers’ motivation; the menu is well-executed, thoughtful and packed with the savory, hearty food of Europe's working class.

Chef and owner Mike Pijanowski has transformed this former Subway restau­rant into a gorgeous bistro that is both modern and old world at once, lush with warmth and character. The layout of the modest space is conducive to romantic rendezvous and gatherings with good friends. Small tables sit in front of the upholstered banquette that lines the walls of the dining room. The bar seats ten, but a few tall tables with stools stand along one wall to compensate for any overflow. Europa is lovely by day, the afternoon sun streams through the windows, cast­ing shadows across the colorful muted walls and highlighting the thoughtfully placed art work. In the evening when the windows fog up, the hand painted light fixtures emit a mellow glow and impart the feeling of having stumbled upon a cafe in the heart of Prague or Warsaw.

The recipes that inspire the menu are often hundreds of years old, the flavor profiles fresh and accessible though far from the typical food we, as a city and as a nation, are collectively familiar with. So I would like to offer an observation regarding Europa Bistro, one that I hope will encourage you to stop in the next time you're looking for great beer and even better food: Europa's menu can be a little intimidating to guests uniniti­ated in the ways of Europe's peasant cuisine. The names of the dishes can be difficult to pronounce and some of the ingredients are alien. But please, I beg you; don't let that stop you from trying this fantastic restaurant. The servers here are very helpful; I've never had anyone smirk when I mispronounce Smorrebrod, a Danish open-faced sandwich, the main components of which change daily. As you peruse the menu, think back to the first time that you were introduced to sushi or curry. Eating is an adventure, and Europa is one of the best.

Buffalo is famous for its Polish influences, especially those that appear on area menus. The potato pancakes and pierogi here are incredible, but Pijanowski is offering a taste of Poland that many of Buffalo's proudest Poles are unfamiliar with. If you’re lucky you'll be introduced to Bigos; recognized as Poland's national dish, it is a stew made with a combination of sausage, pork, chicken, sauerkraut, tomato, mushrooms and seasonings. It is just one of the many specials that has quickly become a customer favorite.

Other offerings from Eastern Europe include Weisswurst, a German white sau­sage served with mustard spaetzles and red apple cabbage (see inset photo), and Rindsrouladen which is comprised of tender thinly sliced beef folded around bacon, onion and pickle. My favorite of this region's offer­ings is the Hungarian Chicken Paprikash, a remarkably tasty entrée that makes fantastic use of Hungarian paprika; it is a perfect choice on a cold winter night.

Customary meals from the rest of Europe are featured here as well. French Cas­soulet, that remarkably amazing and extremely laborious stew of duck, pork, beans and sausage is on the menu every day along with Spanish Albondigas de chocos, fried squid croquettes with saffron sherry sauce. Switzerland is represented by a Fondue of Gruyere and Emmen­thaler, served in a pot with enough for two to enjoy, it is accompanied by fresh vegetables, fruit and bread. What may be the most approachable of items on the menu is the daily risotto, which is always extraordinary, and the baguette sandwich featuring tender pork rillettes which have been slowly roasted in butter and cream, mushrooms, truffles and dijon mustard.

If you’re looking for something to drink, you’ve come to the right place. Europa’s beer selection is what Pijanowski calls Euro-centric, though along with Spaten Optimator and Franziskaner Hefe-Weiss patrons will find Flying Bison, Three Philosophers and even PBR. For the size of the place, the beer and wine lists are extensive; both include more than forty bottles. “It’s a little outrageous,” Pijanowski smiles. “I just can’t help it; there’s a whole world of beer out there.” The very small snack menu that sits on the bar is de­signed for those looking for a nibble with their drink. Pijanowski’s mother makes homemade soft pretzels, and there’s also sea­soned nuts and mixed olives among other things. The prices run from $2-$5.

When I first met Pijanowski last fall he told me of how he, after 20 years in the restaurant business, had arrived upon this business model. He had always loved this style of food, and spending time in Europe with his wife, who is a native of Poland, fueled his desire. The difficulty was that he could never decide whether he wanted to open a Polish cafe, a French bistro, a little Italian place, maybe even Irish- the options were endless and yet restrictive. The benefit of opening Eu­ropa Bistro is that he's been able to serve his favorite dishes from all over Europe as well as exploring others.

"The great thing is that when I get bored, I just crack open an old cookbook and pick something. We try new things all of the time. Last week we made Kalduny and it was amazing.” Kalduny is a Belru­sian potato dumpling stuffed with ground pork and served with a pan sauce made of bacon drippings.

The menu will change sometime in the near future. Pijanowski has used the same one that he originally opened with and is looking forward to a change, but finding the time to develop one is difficult. “I’ve worked in restaurants before, but never one this small, it has its own set of pros and cons. One of the pros is that I’m in the kitchen all of the time, I’m involved in the preparation of every single dish. I tried to hire someone else, but it just wasn’t the same. Consistency is the key. The down side to running a business this small is that I just don’t have a lot of time,” he smiles, “time to do things like sit down and put together a new menu.”

That’s okay, Mike- we’re all pretty happy with the old one.

Europa Bistro
484 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo 14222
716.884.1100

Lead photo of risotto with goat cheese and cherries, inset depicts weisswurst