Piccolo Italia

Last thursday we went with T for a walk on Francuska street to search for the french butcher which, suprise- suprise, we didn't find. Turns out he moved his business to a different place but nobody knows where. SPOOKY.
So we went shopping for lasagne products to carrefour express. I don't really like shopping there because the stuff isn't good, or cheap. But sometimes you just don't get to choose.
So we bought out products there and decided to walk to Plac Waszyngtona for the bus. On the way there, we saw Piccolo Italia and thought maybe they have ricotta cheese? So in we went.
I was shocked. And suprised. Plesantly. But they didn't have ricotta cheese anymore.


First of all, you see a few tables in front of Piccolo Italia. Becase they're the bigger ones, you think it's a restaurant. But you go inside. And you think that it's not a restaurant. In front, there's a bar, where you can get coffee. On the right, there's the passage to the actual shop, plus a display of wines sold by the glass. It looks nice. Expensive, italianish and not shoppish at all.
So let's wander in more. We pass the cashdesk which also serves as the bar, and see a display of knives, cutlery, biscotti, more wine ( not only italian, but also french and spanish. Prices vary.), sweets, chocolates, the typical stuff you get at checkout. But let's see what else they have.

Next aisle, olive oils, olives and sauces galore! Everything to make your mouth water. And the amount of olives was devastating. And the sauces- mmmmmm.... I wanted all of them. Just to look in my cupboard, but also to try. I never buy ready sauces because they never hit my taste and I'm fully convinced they have so many preservatives and other E stuff that I'll glow from eating it. But not in this case.

Coming up next, pasta. OMG, it was HEAVEN! Many kinds, ( but not as many as in Rome, but still a lot), many types, few brands. Lot's of options. For example: I bought in CE lasagne pasta ( the kind you have to cook before you use it) for 9,8zl. In PI, I found a package of precooked lasagne noodles, with 2 handy tins for making the lasagne in. For 8,6zl. SCORE!
Typically, pasta was cheaper and better than in CE.
So guess what did I buy?

Going on, I came upon the fresh produce aisle where there were 2 very nice ladies behind a fridge display of coldmeat and cheese. On the fridge there are some things displayed to try. I had a teaspoon of tomato paste and tomato- soup vegetables paste. The latter was really good, and can be used as a paste for canapes, or sandwiches, or to give taste to a sauce or soup. The former can be used for soups, sauces. Eat your heart out, for if you don't know what you want, but want something good, the ladies will propose you some ham, or salami, or cheese. They will even let you try a slice to see if you like it. This way we purchase some very delicate non colorized ham, some cured ham that had a wonderful flavour, and some peperoni that really got us fighting for our breath arter we finished munching on it. It was really spicy! And we loved it, as nothing usualy gives us that kick anymore. So hello sausage!
Oh, and one lady also spoke italian, so go italian your heart out!

Then I drifted further to the tall fridges with the cheese. It was calling me in from the very beginning: come over and bring us home....
So I decided to check out a cheese I didn't hear about before, cow's milk cheese, looked like a goat cheese, has a slightly metalic taste and is a tiny bit bitter. A little on the crumbly side, this is great for a small apero with garlic bread. Or any baguette, with salad and maybe some delicate ham. But not in a omelett, sorry. That was a no-no.

I still need to check out more, and behind the freezer was another aisle, with bunches of dried herbs,
( a guy came in and bought 5 bunches of herbs, said they make great bouquets for cooking women:p), and generaly all I saw was herbs. I'm sure that there was more, but T. was anxious to pay and go home eat the stuff we bought. So back to step 2, to the cashier, where plesantly we didn't pay a fortune, and were very satisfied with our findings.

We have a good reason to come back, and hopefully, they sell also fresh fruit and veggies. And make panini's:) I would love that.

Currently, there are a few shops in Warsaw of Piccolo Italia, one in al. KEN, one next to Zlote Tarasy in the center, another one on Polna street ( probably in the Polna mall, with the goodies), and a new one in Hoża street. And the one on Francuska street.

I'm very happy to find this store, and I'm very unhappy that nobody told me about it before:)
This is going to be a place to shop for all they have, for sure.

Ps. This article is not sponsored by Piccolo Italia.